2/18/26: MCPS Director of Security at BCC High School on VOLT AI Pilot

Notes from the PTSA meeting held at BCC High School on February 18, 2026. 

The topic of the meeting was the surprise announcement of a pilot of the VOLT AI system.  MCPS Director of Security Marcus Jones was the only speaker on this topic.  No representatives from VOLT AI spoke. 

Director Jones said that MCPS was approached and offered a no cost, 30 day trial of the VOLT AI product.

The 30 day pilot will be at three schools:  Seneca Valley HS because it is the largest high school in the state of Maryland, BCC High School because it is urban, and Magruder High School because it is suburban.  They asked the principals if they would participate. The pilot will begin March 2nd. 

Director Jones said this is the "evaluation phase."  There will be weekly reports and a final report. MCPS schools already have cameras. The VOLT AI system will only be on 30 cameras per school.  Each school has about 200 cameras. Currently, existing MCPS cameras are not monitored.  

A question was asked about what data MCPS currently has on incidents at schools and if that data would be used to compare to to the data generated from the VOLT AI pilot.  Director Jones said there isn't any data and you can't know what will happen in a school any given week.  There are no plans to evaluate data and no metrics for evaluating the system were stated. 

The agreement to do this pilot was reviewed by MCPS legal counsel. 

Director Jones said that nothing is off the table with regard to school security. 

Once installed, MCPS will run tests to see how VOLT AI responds.  They will set up test scenarios and see response. A human at VOLT AI will receive the alerts, review the video and contact MCPS.  A question was asked about where the VOLT AI human was located, the answer was USA. 

VOLT AI will retain the video for 30 days and then it will be deleted. 

Director Jones said he can not speak to the cost of VOLT AI.  He said he is not the decision maker.  The decision maker are the elected officials.  Even though VOLT AI is from Bethesda, they won't be given preference. 

Director Jones will not tell principals how to use the information from VOLT AI. 

 

Statement on Behalf of the Black United Front of Montgomery County Re: Wootton High School

The Black United Front Of Montgomery County is saddened and troubled by the shooting that took place on Monday. Our thoughts are with the family of the victim and we offer any help as they navigate this very difficult time.

At the same time though, The Black United Front of Moco cannot help but condemn the backlash and outrage over the facts. The fact that certain public officials are calling for the return of School Resource Officers despite study after study and input from experts that SRO’s do not contribute to student and school safety and marginalize Black students. The fact that certain public officials are calling for AI Surveillance in schools. Which is problematic considering the fact that AI has already been noted for having racial bias and that this measure will disproportionately affect Black students. In addition, contribute to the expansion of the police surveillance state in Montgomery County. Lastly, the fact that certain segments of the populace are demanding metal detectors in schools. This is problematic because it essentially turns schools into training grounds for incarceration and feeds into the school to prison pipeline and the larger prison industrial complex.

The fact is that despite the condolences offered by the County Council, this is just a cover of the continued anti-Blackness that permeates the county. For 250 years since the county’s establishment, it has been very apparent that Black people are the permanent underclass and as the permanent underclass, they feel that they can do whatever they want to us. It is a bitter irony that for a County that is celebrating its 250 years with the theme of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion that the Black community continues to be excluded and denigrated. Despite the passage of the Racial Equity and Social Justice Act in 2019, the Council wants to act like they haven’t passed it. We demand that the council makes a stronger commitment to enforce the laws and rules already in statute and county policy.
 
         This was totally preventable! Especially since the mother reported that she had been trying to remove her son from Wootton due to the ongoing bullying that they have been dealing with. Anyone who is familiar with MCPS will tell you that the bullying is at an astronomical level with the Board of Education and MCPS in particular stepping in line defending bullies. On top of which, the anti-Blackness in the bullying adds additional trauma to students. This is not surprising but still disgusting because despite recommendations from activist-organizers on developing Black cultural curriculum, mental health centers and designating young Black boys as a protective class, there has been silence or in some cases hostilities in creating programs specifically for Black students yet the same bodies will create programs for every other group.

        The Black United Front demands accountability not only from the School Board, but the County Council and the County Executive who has firmly denied and allowed this incident to happen. Blood is on their hands. We demand that the County Council, the School Board apologize for their failure to act on behalf of Black youth. We demand investments in Black youth that include a Black cultural curriculum, true restorative justice, and wraparound mental health services. We also demand an immediate emergency council meeting to deal with the crisis among Black youth especially since the increase of homicides in the county disproportionately affect Black boys and men.
 
Uhuru
The Black United Front Of Moco:
Bethesda African Cemetery Coalition
Racial Justice NOW!
UNIA-ACL
Cameroon American Council 
Friends of the Congo
EPIC of Moco

Ujima People Progress Party 

For $360,000 Superintendent Taylor makes cute snow day videos, but doesn't show up at County Council for Briefing on MCPS Snow Operations.

The Montgomery County Board of Education hired Superintendent Thomas W. Taylor in July of 2024, at a salary of $360,000.

Parents, guardians, students and staff have seen the Superintendent's cute snow day videos.  

But tomorrow, Tuesday, February 3, 2026, when the County Council holds a Briefing on the Winter Storm/Snow Operations during Winter Storm Fern, they won't see the Superintendent.  

Instead, Superintendent Taylor and the Board of Education will skip the Council's Briefing and send staff in their place.  

Silver Spring middle school delayed contacting police when student was seriously injured

Incident is one of two highlighting lags in reporting

Administrators at Odessa Shannon Middle School delayed contacting Montgomery County police for several hours following an Oct. 22 incident that seriously injured a student when he was struck in the head with a metal object thrown by another student, according to a police report recently posted on social media by the injured boy’s mother.  

The incident at the Silver Spring school occurred at roughly 11 a.m. and resulted in the hospitalization of the student in an intensive care unit. Principal Natasha Booms called 911 for medical aid, but did not contact police until about 5 p.m. that day, the police report said. Responding Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service (MCFRS) crews transported the boy to Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring.  

“It should be noted that school staff did not contact [the police department] about this incident when it occurred,” said the report posted on Jan. 14 by Emily Diaz, mother of the injured boy. Bethesda Today confirmed the report’s authenticity with police. 

The October incident is one of two incidents occurring in Montgomery County public schools in recent months in which there was a delay in contacting police —despite a 2022 memorandum of understanding between the police department and the district that details the type of incidents that require police to be contacted immediately...

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2026/01/21/silver-spring-middle-school-delays-police/

Montgomery County Public Schools' review of employee histories reveals criminal violations

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (7News) — 7News presses Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) for answers after a recent review of employee histories reveals criminal violations.

We reached out to MCPS to learn more about the cases. The school system confirmed recent screenings flagged 22 employees...

...We talked to a former MCPS student and parent who is also a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Sex Offender Treatment Provider.

She said MCPS is putting its students in danger.

"My response is a deep sense of disappointment and outrage. What this means is MCPS is failing in its most basic duty to help create safe environments for our children," Jennifer Gross said.

MCPS blamed the background check backlog on the previous administration and said it rescreened more than 10,000 employees between September and December of 2025...

https://wjla.com/news/local/story/montgomery-county-public-schools-mcps-background-checks-criminal-violations-employee-screening-child-protective-services-safety-concerns-maryland-education-issues-backlog-policy-fbi-rapback

Youth Social Justice Group Condemns Police Action During Fights at High School Football Game

Young People for Progress members condemned the actions of the Montgomery County Police to break up student fights outside a Sept. 19 football game at Blake High School.

Officers working a football security detail requested backup after seeing several groups of teenagers fighting near the tennis courts and parking lot. Montgomery County Public Schools security staff attempted to break up the fights, but hundreds of students ignored repeated requests to leave.

As reported by MCM, police attempted to de-escalate the situation by launching several air pops while ordering the crowd to leave the premises. Air pops are loud sounds that do not release ammunition or pepper.

Members of the social justice group “are deeply concerned,” according to a news release from Dorien Rogers, the group’s field organizer.

While nothing but air pops were released, according to police, Young People for Progress sent a news release decrying the police’s actions around high school students. “This action escalates fear, normalizes militarized policing in school settings, and communicates to young people that their presence warrants fear and force rather than care,” it states in the release...

https://www.mymcmedia.org/youth-social-justice-group-condemns-police-action-during-fights-at-high-school-football-game/

Montgomery County Public Schools updated their Standard Response Protocol

School District Initiates New Emergency Protocol

  

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) announced its new security protocol “to effectively and efficiently respond to emergency and crisis situations.”

There are now five directives – Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate and Shelter.

Previously, when there was an emergency, schools went into shelter in place or lock down. Shelter was the description given for a broad range of issues including weather, medical emergency or police activity.

Hold now means all hallways must be kept clear. Secure will be used for external threats, including police activity nearby. In that case, everyone will be brought into the school, and the doors will be locked, but normal school activities will continue, according to information on the MCPS website...

https://www.mymcmedia.org/school-district-initiates-new-emergency-protocol/

Who hired Marcus G. Jones to be MCPS Chief of Security and Compliance for MCPS?

Answer:  April L. Key.  

When former Montgomery County Police Chief Marcus G. Jones was announced as the MCPS Chief of Security and Compliance on June 25, 2024, it was a surprise as Chief Jones had just retired from the Montgomery County Police Department.  

Police Chief Marcus G. Jones was announced as the MCPS Chief of Security and Compliance at the June 25, 2024, Board of Education meeting right after the appointment of Thomas W. Taylor as the new MCPS Superintendent.  The announcement was made by Acting Interim Superintendent Dr. Henry Johnson.  Interim Superintendent Monique Felder was not present at the June 25, 2024, Board of Education meeting.  

After Acting Interim Superintendent Dr. Henry Johnson announced the recommended appointment of Marcus G. Jones as MCPS Chief of Security and Compliance, a Board member announced "move approval" and the student member seconded the motion.  The Board President then announced "all in favor raise your hand" and a vote was taken.  The Board President then said, "that's unanimous, congratulations."  The MCPS Press Release on the position repeated the Board vote.

But the exchange by the Board of Education was just a cover for whoever actually hired Mr. Jones. Mr. Jones had already been hired for this new position by April L. Key on June 20, 2024, almost a week before the Board meeting.  

It turns out the rumor posted on a local blog was true.  

The Parents' Coalition has obtained Mr. Jones' offer letter from MCPS via a Maryland Public Information Act request.  The letter offers Mr. Jones the position without any contingency on Board of Education approval.  The letter ends with "Welcome to the MCPS family!" 

The Board of Education did not have any approval authority over the hiring of Mr. Jones per Board of Education Policy GEA, "Leadership positions subject to Board approval shall be those positions classified “O” and higher on the MCPS salary schedule."  Mr. Jones position was classified NS. 

MCPS was in a period of transition in the spring and summer of 2024.  Which of the acting/interim/superintendents had authorized April Key to hire Marcus Jones, or is that a decision she made on her own? 

You might remember the name of April Key, MCPS Chief of Human Resources and Development, from the Beidleman matter or from the Damascus High School sex assault cases. 

MCPS made him reverse Beidleman sex harassment finding—and then retaliated, he alleges

Walker alleged that the administrators who have retaliated against him include two of the most senior leaders in MCPS: Chief of Human Resources and Development April Key and Chief Operations Officer Brian Hull, who was acting superintendent for a short period last fall and who ranks just below Superintendent Monifa McKnight, according to an MCPS organizational chart.

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2024/01/12/mcps-made-him-reverse-beidleman-sex-harassment-finding-and-then-retaliated-he-alleges/

 

 Criticism over MCPS allowing 2 former principals to serve in corrective action workgroup.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (7News) — At a February 8 Montgomery County Council meeting about the Inspector General report on MCPS' complaint processing, a councilmember referred to the 2018 Damascus High School sexual assault case.

Laurie-Anne Sayles asked MCPS Chief of Human Resources April Key a pointed question about the school's former principal and former head football coach.

"Is the coach and principal still employed by MCPS?" she queried.

"Yes, they are," answered Key regarding former Damascus High Principal Casey Crouse and former coach Eric Wallich

https://wjla.com/news/local/montgomery-county-public-schools-mcps-faces-criticism-for-employing-former-principals-involved-in-2018-assault-cases-damascus-gaithersburg-high-school-councilmember