Tuesday 2/20/2026 Police Press Conference on Wootton HS Shooting. No MCPS participation in press conference.

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/

What did @mcps @mocoboe know and when did they know it? Former MCPS Middle School Teacher Charged With Sexual Abuse of a Student [Joshua Starr was Superintendent]

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, November 7, 2023

Gaithersburg, MD - A former Montgomery County teacher has been arrested and charged with multiple sexual offenses for engaging in sexual acts with a minor. Detectives believe there may be additional victims.

On Thursday, October 5, 2023, the Montgomery County Department of Police - Special Victims Investigations Division (SVID) initiated an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse by an adult male victim. The victim alleges that he had engaged in sexual acts with 31-year-old Melissa Marie Curtis of Upper Marlboro, when he was a minor.

The alleged abuse began in 2015 when Curtis was 22-years-old. The incidents continued for several months while the victim was a student at Montgomery Village Middle School, and Curtis was a teacher at the same school. All of the incidents took place within Montgomery County.

A warrant for Melissa Curtis's arrest was obtained on Tuesday, October 31, charging her with sexual abuse of a minor and multiple counts of third and fourth-degree sexual offenses.

Curtis had been a teacher for approximately two years in Montgomery County and taught at Lakelands Park Middle School as well.

SVID detectives suspect that there may be additional victims and would like to speak with them. Detectives encourage potential victims to call 240-773-5400.

Curtis turned herself in on Tuesday, November 7, and is currently awaiting a bond hearing.

Montgomery County Maryland (montgomerycountymd.gov)

Why does Montgomery County 911 Refer a Sex Assault Call from Wheaton High School to Park Police?

❓ On December 9, 2022, Montgomery County's 911 call center received a call reporting a sex assault that occurred earlier at Wheaton High School.  When the dispatcher put out the call at 2:24:34 PM here is what transpired with the responding officer:

Dispatcher:  Sex assault, occurred earlier Wheaton High School.  Suspect not on scene. Student reporting sex assault...

Officer: Do you mind just passing that over to the Park Police? They are responsible now for Wheaton High School. 

ABC7 - Montgomery Co. Police: "active and ongoing investigation" @mcps @mocoboe

 ..."Our Financial Crimes Section is investigating Todd Watkins and Charles Ewald. This is an active and ongoing investigation. No one has been cleared or charged in this investigation," said Ofc. Cortes, Public Information Office, Montgomery County Department of Police...

https://wjla.com/features/i-team/school-bus-electric-buses-montgomery-county-public-schools-maryland-joe-biden-administration-mcps-highland-electric-fleets-transportation-fuel-epa-gas

After pulling police from MCPS before SRO study completed, Elrich to bring them back

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (7News) — Montgomery County officials are soon expected to approve a new plan that would place police officers back in schools. The about-face comes after several violent incidents inside Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) during the 2021-2022 school year...

 https://wjla.com/news/crisis-in-the-classrooms/montgomery-county-public-schools-school-resource-officers-police-council-marc-elrich-students-parents-study-feedback-hybrid-program?fbclid=IwAR0fritVJwhV3SvXaoK24HTT44VNcDXIJaQAz8icSY9PQnTnYakUjFsSBYg

Montgomery leaders privately negotiate bringing police back to schools

Montgomery County’s public school system and the Montgomery County Police Department have privately drafted an agreement to bring armed police back into school buildings, angering student activists and criminal justice advocates who successfully pushed county leaders to remove the officers last fall.

The proposed contract between the two agencies, a copy of which was obtained by The Washington Post, has been shared with County Council members and County Executive Marc Elrich (D), but not with members of the public who say they should have a chance to review the document before it is finalized.

“It’s wildly inappropriate that they’ve excluded students,” said Kyson Taylor, a senior at Richard Montgomery High School...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/03/29/montgomery-county-schools-police/

Magruder Community Meeting - January 22, 2022

Sources told News4 that the incident, which took place in the football locker room after practice, involved an attempted assault with a broomstick.

“There is no chance that a sexual assault investigation began and ended in one day,” Rene Sandler, a Montgomery County attorney who has handled cases involving juveniles, said. “I don’t think anyone would accept that it would open and shut in a few hours in one day. Absolutely unacceptable.” In a letter sent Tuesday to football families, Bolden urged parents, “If [your children] recorded the event, please ask them to delete and not share it.” Her request was rescinded the next day. “To hear a directive from a principal for students and parents to destroy evidence in a matter, whether it's disciplinary or criminal in nature, is shocking and just beyond inappropriate and could very likely be unlawful,” Sandler said.

@MCPS will hold a 5:30p meeting w/ @TSWoottonHS football families after @mcpnews was called to investigate a “serious incident” in the varsity football team’s locker room yesterday.

I’m told press will not be allowed inside 👉 info shared w/@fox5dc said @MCPS will hold a 5:30p meeting w/@TSWoottonHS football families after @mcpnews was called to investigate a “serious incident” in the varsity football team’s locker room yesterday. @MCPS confirmed (1/2) pic.twitter.com/PuyzQGcmjT

— Stephanie Ramirez (@RamirezReports) November 3, 2021

Breaking: Whitman Crew Letter: July 2018 - "parent informed the Board of a rumor of a sexual relationship between Shipley and a former crew member that began following her graduation" "MCPS was aware of the allegation"

To the Whitman Crew Community: 

We are heartbroken and disgusted by the information which came to light last week regarding Kirk Shipley’s alleged sexual abuse and sexual misconduct. When we were informed, we immediately severed all ties with him and instructed him not to have any contact with current or former athletes, parents, or other members of our community. We are incredibly sorry for the pain and anguish that all of our athletes and parents are experiencing. We regret offering Shipley a position for this fall season and, in retrospect with what we now know, that was clearly the wrong decision. We, as Board members, are also parents of athletes and we would never knowingly put our children at risk. We know many parents, current athletes, and former athletes are disturbed and angry. You have every right to be. We are as well.
 
We want to be transparent with you regarding what the Board knew, when the Board knew it, and why the Board took the actions that it did.
 
In July 2018, a parent informed the Board of a rumor of a sexual relationship between Shipley and a former crew member that began following her graduation. This rumor came to light one month after the Board had initiated an investigation in response to an unrelated individual boating complaint regarding Coach Shipley. When the Board learned of the rumor, it was told the parent had already reported it to Montgomery County Public Schools and child protective services. The Board confirmed that MCPS was aware of the allegation and the Board immediately reported the allegation to SafeSport. As a member of U.S. Rowing, Walt Whitman Crew must follow the policies of SafeSport, which gives SafeSport exclusive jurisdiction over allegations of sexual abuse and the process by which those allegations are investigated. To be clear, SafeSport policy does not allow an organization to investigate such matters itself. The Board relied on the respective expertise and experience of MCPS, SafeSport, and Montgomery County child protective services to investigate and report any findings of sexual abuse or misconduct by Shipley. Neither MCPS, SafeSport, nor Montgomery County child protective services reported any findings of sexual or physical misconduct to us..

In June 2021, the Board received disconcerting feedback regarding Shipley during our annual survey. None of the issues raised allegations of sexual or physical misconduct. However, given the nature of the concerns, we immediately suspended Shipley, and we hired an independent investigator to perform a review of the program. Our decision to hire an independent investigator was based on several factors. We wanted to:

• have a neutral third party lead the process;
• engage someone with expertise in conducting investigations; 
• encourage community members to come forward; and 
• protect the privacy of the athletes and parents who were willing to share information confidentially.

We relied on the investigator’s findings, including the categorical statement, "There have been no allegations (or findings) of any physical or sexual misconduct on the part of Coach Shipley or anyone else involved with the program." Had this fact not been reported to us, our decision for the fall would have been different. For the concerns about Shipley that were noted in the report, we believed that we could establish protocols to address them effectively. Again, it was made clear that there were no allegations or findings of sexual misconduct contained in the report that was provided to us. We want you to know that we made what we believed to be the best decision for our children and our club, based on the information we had at the time.

On August 18, 2021, we were notified by US Rowing that SafeSport had an open investigation of Kirk Shipley that we did not know about when we made the decision to continue his employment. We immediately contacted SafeSport and they told us the following: 

1. They received a complaint in October 2020, which they closed in early July 2021 because there was "not enough to report"; 
2. On July 19, 2021, they received new information, which they did not disclose to us, so they reopened the investigation and they assigned an investigator at the end of July; 
3. Kirk Shipley was still eligible to coach; and 
4. We were prohibited from taking action as a result of learning about their investigation.

We had no knowledge of the SafeSport investigations when we made the decision to employ Shipley this fall.

When, on August 24, 2021, we learned that a criminal complaint had been filed against Shipley, we immediately severed all ties with him.

We want to apologize to those who bravely came forward to raise concerns and who feel like those concerns were not heard. The health and safety of our kids is and always has been our primary concern. As fellow parents, we acknowledge the anguish, turmoil, and pain that this brings to our student athletes.

Our focus now is on providing resources to our athletes, healing our community, and cooperating with the investigation. With that in mind, we have made the difficult decision to suspend the fall program, including Learn-to-Row. We are working on identifying alternative fall rowing programs and will have more information to share in the coming days. 

To assist with the healing, we have also lined up several therapists who deal specifically with trauma to work with any parent and/or athlete who wants counseling. They are: 

Gavin W. Behrens & Associates - Bethesda
https://www.gbehrensandassociates.com/

Rathbone & Associates - Bethesda/Rockville 
https://rathboneandassociates.com/
Britt Rathbone or John Dunn, specifically

Julie Baron & Associates - Rockville
https://www.juliebaronandassociates.com/

Also, Georgette Saad from the Sibley Group in DC (https://thesibleygroupdc.com/) is available for psychoeducational group sessions for parents, followed by separate group sessions for female and male rowers. Tentative days/times are Friday, September 3 at 7pm, Saturday, September 4 at 1pm, and Wednesday, September 8 at 5:30, 6, or 7. If you or your child is interested in attending a group session, either in person or virtually, please contact Marianne Sullivan, mariannesullivanmd@icloud.com, who is coordinating the schedule. We are paying for these group sessions out of dedicated funds – and welcome anyone who wants to contribute to this fund to support the athletes.

 Please let us know if you have questions. You can email Dave Charlton (crewdad@davecharlton.net).


Sincerely, 
Whitman Crew Boosters Board of Directors 

Release of Body-Worn Camera Footage from January 2020 Officers' Interaction with 5-Year-Old Student

Lawsuit alleges officers harassed and assaulted 5-year-old kindergartner

 Now on CNN. Full story here. Reporters Madeline Holcombe and Artemis Moshtaghian

(CNN)Two Maryland police officers have been accused of screaming at, grabbing and threatening a 5-year-old elementary school student.

The boy's mother, Shanta Grant, filed a lawsuit this month against Montgomery County Police Officers Dionne Holliday and Kevin Christmon -- as well as Montgomery County and the Montgomery County Board of Education.

The Montgomery County Department of Police told CNN it does not comment on ongoing or pending litigation. CNN was not able to reach Officer Holliday. Officer Christmon declined to comment to CNN.

And:

The boy "was scared and did not want to get into the police car. Christmon grabbed (the boy) and placed him in the squad car," the complaint alleges. "This was extremely frightening to (the boy) because he thought he was going to be taken to jail."

A school employee, believed to be assistant principal at East Silver Spring Elementary School, stood by and did nothing to de-escalate the situation, according to the complaint. The assistant principal is not a defendant in the lawsuit.

Former MCPS Superintendent Joshua Starr Now Says: "For all the wonderful officers who worked in my districts, there were others who needlessly antagonized students and escalated minor conflicts with them, willfully disregarding their own rules of engagement."

For context, please note that this is an article written by former MCPS Superintendent Joshua Starr.  While MCPS Superintendent, Joshua Starr was notified that MCPS teacher John Vigna was lap sitting with little girls and even with that notification, Mr. Vigna was allowed to remain in MCPS classrooms to abuse more victims. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

...Much more serious are problems that have to do with the ways SROs interact with students and respond to conflicts within the school and the surrounding community. For instance, I’ve seen SROs yell at kids for minor infractions in a school that was working hard to establish a positive culture of respect among children and adults. I’ve heard of students being arrested in class and taken away in handcuffs for something that occurred outside school, even though this went against district rules. Likewise, I’ve seen cases where students got into a fight and the principal responded by offering conflict resolution, only to learn that the SRO decided to charge the participants with a crime...

...Personally, during my time in Montgomery County, I found it incredibly valuable to maintain a close partnership with the police chief, Tom Manger, who was forthcoming, thoughtful, and always willing to work with me and my team to make sure we agreed on what makes for a safe and positive school environment...

• Work with the police department to decide exactly which kinds of school safety data will be collected and reported to the public. Neither school leaders nor police officials should be taken by surprise when the other shares information about campus incidents, student-on-student crime, the confiscation of weapons, or other matters...

https://kappanonline.org/starr-armed-officers-in-schools-the-good-bad-and-ugly/?fbclid=IwAR0XWwJUZXI9eWpqoGbyQvyA4cY3BJLtAEzbWRBhbgsZC0tQG17alIi7B6I

report found that the school bus cameras have not reduced violations, nor have they reduced accidents involving school children

...The report explained that the county has generated none of the revenue it had anticipated from the school bus camera program, while the vendor has pocketed $10 million. The report concluded that the contract failed to follow the normal public bidding process and instead created an arrangement that favored the camera vendor.

"The business case for this program was built around the desired use of a predetermined vendor rather than an objective analysis to design an effective and economical method to achieve an identified outcome," the report found.

To bypass the public bidding process, Montgomery County latched onto the contract between Force Multiplier and the school board in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana. While the Louisiana deal had East Baton Rouge splitting profits with Force Multiplier, the Montgomery County "bridge" contract stated Force Multiplier would keep the first $18 million in revenue generated. After that, the company would keep the first $1 million generated annually before splitting any profits.

"Although we have not undertaken a forensic accounting review of the MCPS program, it appears to be structured much like the Dallas County School District program which ultimately led to the bankruptcy of the school district," Blansitt wrote. "Much like the situation in Dallas County, Montgomery County appears to potentially bear the financial burden of vendor failure."

As for safety, the report found that the school bus cameras have not reduced violations, nor have they reduced accidents involving school children. As national statistics show, such accidents are exceedingly rare and none were recorded in the four years before the cameras were activated...

https://www.thenewspaper.com/news/67/6768.asp

"the company began paying Sorrells' credit card bills and other debts in order to avoid direct cash payments, according to Sorrells' plea agreement. "

Former Dallas County Schools Chief Gets Seven Years for Role in Bribery Scheme

...The money didn't materialize — in part because of judges throwing out many of the tickets issued based on evidence from the cameras — and the district was stuck with the bill. Amid the fallout from the failed camera program and a series of managerial missteps, Dallas County voters approved dissolving DCS in November.

According to federal court documents, Sorrells began receiving payments from a company selling the district cameras in 2010. (Force Multiplier Solutions isn't mentioned in Sorrells' indictment by name, but it's the only company that sold stop-arm cameras to DCS, according to KXAS-TV.)

After DCS agreed to buy between 100 and 150 cameras from Force Multiplier Solutions in 2010, the company began to make payments to Sorrells through a series of shell companies set up by the superintendent.

Eventually, the company began paying Sorrells' credit card bills and other debts in order to avoid direct cash payments, according to Sorrells' plea agreement. Slater Swartwood Sr., the former owner of Force Multiplier Solutions, pleaded guilty in 2017 to federal money laundering charges related to the bribes paid to Sorrells.

"This defendant pocketed a whopping $3.5 million in bribes, simultaneously crippling the agency he was tapped to lead and undermining the public’s trust in city officials. The citizens of Dallas deserve better — and they should rest assured that we are committed to rooting out public corruption wherever we find it," U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox said in a statement...

https://www.dallasobserver.com/news/dallas-school-bus-czar-gets-seven-years-in-corruption-probe-11728453

WUSA9: Montgomery School bus camera system ‘profitable’ for vendor but not the school system, report says

A report from the county inspector general raised questions about the company behind the school bus camera system that's credited with protecting kids.

...The contract terms, originally with a company called Force Multiplier Solutions, which has now been succeeded by BusPatrol America "...appear to be ambiguously, and generously, tilted toward profitability for the vendor to the disadvantage of residents of Montgomery County," according to a report by the Montgomery County Inspector General's office.

"Montgomery County nor MCPS has not received any ticket revenue yet, and it is unknown when they will," the report says...

...The Inspector General criticized police and school officials for eagerly doing business with Force Multiplier Solutions after the company's CEO was convicted in a fraud and bribery scandal that sent two Texas public officials to prison and bankrupted the school bus agency in Dallas.

The successor company, BusPatrol America, “other than changing the name, except for the CEO, many of the same managers, employees, equipment and contracts are still in place,” the IG's report said...

https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/maryland/montgomery-school-bus-camera-system-profitable-for-vendor-but-not-the-school-system-report-says/65-1d388261-67c0-4275-a919-20e0e5551585

Rick Sorrells (met with MCPS and Police to sell bus camera scheme) is Still Assisting Feds with One Ongoing Matter

Judge Barbara Lynn is having a sidebar conversation with lawyers about whether Sorrells cooperation with the feds can be publicly discussed. Prosecutors daily there is “at least one ongoing matter” where Sorrells is involved in assisting. @NBCDFW pic.twitter.com/qPJfuSRd01

— Scott Friedman (@ScottNBC5) August 7, 2019

Bribing for camera cash: So in 2015, Montgomery officials traveled all the way to Dallas to meet with Force Multiplier execs, including Leonard. "The Montgomery contingent was really high on Force Multiplier..."

...Montgomery had started a bus camera program in 2014, contracting with Xerox Corp., but the initiative did not receive much funding. So in 2015, Montgomery officials traveled all the way to Dallas to meet with Force Multiplier execs, including Leonard. The Montgomery contingent was really high on Force Multiplier, saying in a memo that it had a “technologically superior project” and noting that less than 2 percent of the fines sent out were contested in court.

“In exchange for free installation on all MCPS school buses, [Force] would retain all fine revenues in order to recoup its investment,” reads the memo. “MCPD indicates that [Force] will need to recoup approximately $18 million in fines to break even on their initial investment. At this point, [Force] and the county will negotiate a revenue-sharing plan.”

They lauded the “savings” of some $800,000 annually due to not having to replace some safety equipment. They admitted to skepticism, saying Force’s offer to “absorb 100% of the cost of equipment and installation…. seemed too good to be true.”

They didn’t, of course, know about the shenanigans in Dallas. But if a deal seems too good for even cash-happy public officials, wouldn’t that sound more alarms?

Montgomery moved ahead with the program, even after news of the bribery scam broke. Force Multiplier’s assets moved into a new company, BusPatrol, which officials claimed is totally different. But it lists the same local address in Lorton, Va., as Force Multiplier had. BusPatrol CEO David Poirier was the registered agent for Force, and other former Force employees also work for BusPatrol.

Did Force Multiplier execs donate to the campaigns of Montgomery County officials, as they did the Dallas officials who have been taken down?..

https://medium.com/@kevinjshay44/bribing-for-camera-cash-5a50f1d02c16

"County has spent aproximately $750,000 from its operating budget for positions related" to the School Bus Camera deal. But County gets Zero from Fines.

Here is the link to the 30 page Montgomery County Inspector General's Report (link to WTOP story) on the MCPS/Police School Bus Camera Program.

"...Based on this statement, from the inception of this contract, we estimate that the County has spent approximately $750,000 from its operating budget for additional MCPD positions related to this program.4 Although over $10 million of ticket revenue has been transferred to the vendor, neither the County nor MCPS (based on the contract) has received any ticket proceeds from this program... " (Page 2)

https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/OIG/Resources/Files/PDF/IGActivity/FY2020/mcpd_mcps_bus_cameras_adv_memo_28_jun_2019.pdf