January 18, 2022
Open Letter to the Montgomery County Board of Education:
It has been just over a week since the passing of Dr. Lani Guinier, the heralded African American female attorney whose innovative and provocative writings on racial justice and voting rights were used to undermine her nomination to lead the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. Today, we are witnessing a similar political attempt to destroy another professionally qualified woman of color, Dr. Monifa McKnight. She is being strategically and unjustly vilified during her candidacy to be the next Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent. We will not stand by and watch this happen again.
We wish to call attention to the uneven and unfair treatment of Interim Superintendent Dr. Monifa McKnight, who answered the call to leadership amid the COVID-19 pandemic that has confounded governmental and private sector leaders to say nothing of school officials across the country. Constituent criticism is to be expected by any leader, but the potshots being taken against Dr. McKnight, by politicians who know all-to-well the complexities of balancing safety with public services, suggest an untoward motive at play. We are particularly aghast at leaders who purport themselves to represent marginalized communities of color and women taking part in these bad faith practices.
The strategic and coordinated attack of some elected officials and affinity groups suggests an ulterior motive to negatively influence the selection of the next superintendent of schools. Interim Superintendent Dr. McKnight has the credentials, experience, and in-depth knowledge to compete for the position of Superintendent without internal and external influences that appear to be compromising the selection process.
Specifically, the presidents of the Montgomery County Parent Teacher Association, Montgomery County Education Association, and the Montgomery County Association of Administrators and Principals, Council Member Tom Hucker, Board of Education Member Lynne Harris, and County Executive Marc Elrich appear to be engaging in back-door politics to publicly discredit the Interim Superintendent. We recognize this is an election year and that people join forces for self-interest, but there is never an acceptable time to target one individual for political gain. We demand that these persons and others stand down from further combative actions.
The Board of Education members have a responsibility to model fairness and integrity for our children and students who are watching, the staff who are seeking direction, and the community that expects the core values of the school system to be carried out by its leadership. We recognize the difficulty in selecting a leader of such a large and diverse region and pray for the wisdom and fortitude of those tasked with making a decision that will impact so many families.
We are resolute for a fully fair and just process that charts a way forward for all of Montgomery County, not merely the areas of privilege. Not only do we urge that Dr. McKnight’s candidacy is not tarnished in the eyes of the Board of Education, but that those who have acted in an unjust manner are held accountable. As leaders within this community, we believe it is our burden of responsibility to call out injustice, particularly in the wake of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Holiday who famously said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Respectfully submitted,
Senior Pastor Matthew Watley
Kingdom Fellowship AME Church
Silver Spring, MD
Senior Pastor Essentino Lewis
Clifton Park Baptist Church
Silver Spring, MD
Senior Pastor James E. Boney
President, Ministerial Alliance
Faith Community Baptist Church
Silver Spring, MD
Senior Pastor Jamison Hunter
Mt. Jezreel Baptist Church
Silver Spring, MD
Senior Pastor Marcus Jerkins
Resurrection Baptist Church
Silver Spring, MD
Senior Pastor Haywood A. Robinson III
The People’s Community Baptist Church
Silver Spring, MD
