Interim Prince George's schools superintendent [Shawn Joseph] left controversy in Nashville schools

...Joseph will take over as a national search for the next superintendent is conducted. His tenure as the leader of the Nashville school system was mired in controversy and he eventually agreed to leave.

His contract in Nashville was bought out. According to media reports, Joseph was criticized for not properly handling multiple sexual harassment complaints made not against him but against other employees, and for securing no-bid contracts.

Some of those who filed sexual harassment complaints sued for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Joseph resisted calls for him to resign in December 2018.

Nashville board members spoke for and against Joseph at a meeting in April 2019, where his separation agreement was announced...

https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/prince-georges-county/interim-prince-georges-schools-superintendent-left-controversy-in-nashville-schools/3937743/

Nashville reaches tentative harassment settlement of $1.2M with former public school administrator (Also Former MCPS Administrator - Moreno Carrasco)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Lawyers for Metro Nashville Public Schools have reached a proposed settlement of a $1.2 million sexual harassment lawsuit filed by a former district administrator.

Terms of the final settlement with Dr. Vanessa Garcia have not been made public. That deal still must be approved by the Metro School Board, according to Metro deputy law director Mike Safley.

Latest case to be settled from Shawn Joseph tenure

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By: Phil WilliamsPosted at 3:53 PM, Jan 06, 2020 and last updated 5:12 PM, Jan 06, 2020

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Lawyers for Metro Nashville Public Schools have reached a proposed settlement of a $1.2 million sexual harassment lawsuit filed by a former district administrator.

Terms of the final settlement with Dr. Vanessa Garcia have not been made public. That deal still must be approved by the Metro School Board, according to Metro deputy law director Mike Safley.

The proposed settlement, disclosed in a new court filing Monday, came less than three weeks after U.S. District Judge William L. Campbell Jr. rejected numerous efforts by the school district's lawyers to throw out various claims made by Garcia.

Garcia's lawsuit accuses former Metro Schools administrator Mo Carrasco of grossly inappropriate sexual comments, as well as one occasion when he allegedly put his hand on her breast at a district Christmas party.

After Garcia filed a formal complaint back in November 2017, other witnesses came forward - and Carrasco resigned. In May 2018, Garcia herself lost her job as part of a so-called "realignment."...

https://www.newschannel5.com/news/newschannel-5-investigates/metro-schools/mnps-reaches-tentative-harassment-settlement-with-former-administrator

Then, in 2017, a sexual harassment complaint was filed against one of [Shawn] Joseph's friend, Metro Schools administrator Mo Carrasco. [former MCPS administrators]

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A former human resources administrator for Metro Nashville Public Schools says he faced retaliation and was finally forced to resign for insisting that sexual harassment complaints get proper investigations.

Scott Lindsey, who filed a lawsuit back in December, said he finally decided to speak out about the toxic culture under Schools Director Dr. Shawn Joseph after the district's own law firm recently warned of a morale crisis that threatens Metro Schools' ability to attract and retain good employees.

"It was almost kind of like -- and I'm not making this up -- it's almost as if ISIS took over an HR department. That's the only way I can describe it," Lindsey told NewsChannel 5 Investigates.

A highly acclaimed human resources professional, Lindsey rose to become the district's executive director for employee relations.

Then, in 2016, Dr. Shawn Joseph was named Nashville's director of schools.

NewsChannel 5 Investigates asked, "So when did you first realize that perhaps things were not going to go well with this new administration?"

"Oh, almost immediately," he answered.

Lindsey said that, when a teacher brought a loaded gun to school and left it in the library, he was puzzled when Joseph did not want to fire him.

"That was a head-scratcher for me," he recalled. "Why would you not terminate that person? He brought a firearm to school. People could have gotten killed, hurt."

And when an Overton High School teacher got into a physical altercation with a student, Lindsey prepared a form that the director was supposed to use for reporting teacher misconduct cases to the state.

He said he expected Joseph's office to submit the form.

"He never did it," Lindsey said. "In fact, he never did any of them because those were his decisions."

The State Board of Education is currently investigating Joseph's failure to report those misconduct cases.

Then, in 2017, a sexual harassment complaint was filed against one of Joseph's friends, Metro Schools administrator Mo Carrasco.

Lindsey put Carrasco on administrative leave...

https://www.newschannel5.com/news/newschannel-5-investigates/metro-schools/former-mnps-administrator-its-almost-as-if-isis-took-over-hr?fbclid=IwAR2VdoJ-R3Vd72YYUmU5uHTQBNEwzesx5NdosMO5la7KqvMc59Zwjh3awT8

Tenn. State proposes one-year suspension of Superintendent Shawn Joseph's license #FailuretoReport

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Staff for the Tennessee State Board of Education have proposed a one-year suspension of the license of Metro Schools Director Dr. Shawn Joseph for failing to report teacher misconduct cases, NewsChannel 5 has learned.

Joseph's lawyer, Chuck Cagle, said the schools director plans to fight the allegations.

"Dr. Shawn Joseph was given notice by the State Board of Education of its intent to seek action against his Tennessee teacher license," Cagle said in a statement.

"Dr. Joseph has been in contact with the State Board of Education and will vigorously defend the actions of his office against any allegations."

Metro Nashville Public Schools rules require the director of schools to have a "professional educator's license."..

...The State Board of Education's review of Joseph's license was prompted by a NewsChannel 5 investigation into the director's handling of the case involving an Overton High School teacher who was involved in a physical altercation with a student.

Joseph rejected the principal's recommendation to fire the teacher, giving him a five-day suspension instead.

Under state law, that suspension should have been reported to the State Board of Education for possible action against the teacher's license.

A subsequent review discovered numerous other cases that were not reported...

https://www.newschannel5.com/news/newschannel-5-investigates/metro-schools/state-proposes-one-year-suspension-of-shawn-josephs-license?fbclid=IwAR2gDzRgGQWTPCd1DBzeWk0qiJdh2dzJYqqXlbbR_QrRKk7pQ_PiCr8ICRk

Discovery Education given inside track on lucrative Nashville Public Schools contract

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Metro Nashville Public Schools gave a Maryland company the inside track on a lucrative deal to boost science and technology curriculum in middle schools, a NewsChannel 5 investigation discovered.

Schools Director Dr. Shawn Joseph and his leadership team turned to Discovery Education to help develop the vision for the initiative, then the company was awarded an $11.4 million contract with no real competition.

"So many of us in conversations outside those senior leadership meetings would talk about: can you imagine what we could do if we had half that amount of money and we implemented our own plan in our schools?" said Dr. Kris Elliott, who headed the district's STEM efforts for two years.

"It was a shame that we weren't allowed the time and space to talk about ways to make this sort of improvement process, that it was just automatic: it was a vendor and they were going to solve all of MNPS's problems."..

https://www.newschannel5.com/news/newschannel-5-investigates/metro-schools/maryland-company-given-inside-track-on-lucrative-mnps-contract?fbclid=IwAR394RveMRZT5N9MQ1H6y3UU_BosmOoZOni9_Ep7W88EAX4VUPa9uE59oBs

Under director of schools Dr. Shawn Joseph, the lawsuit says Lindsey began to encounter what it calls "a policy and practice ... of selective enforcement of Metro rules and protection of certain individuals."...One of those investigations involved former Metro Schools administrator Mo Carassco, a longtime friend of Joseph.

New lawsuit filed in MNPS sexual harassment scandal

...Under director of schools Dr. Shawn Joseph, the lawsuit says Lindsey began to encounter what it calls "a policy and practice ... of selective enforcement of Metro rules and protection of certain individuals."

"There appeared to be a pattern, not just a pattern, but a practice of improper investigations -- investigations that were improperly influenced presumably because of certain persons who were favored in one way or another," Blackburn said.

One of those investigations involved former Metro Schools administrator Mo Carassco, a longtime friend of Joseph.

The lawsuit claims that the number two person in the HR department, Sharon Pertiller, "threatened" Lindsey when a victim came forward with a formal complaint against Carassco.

"She told Mr. Lindsay that the director of schools, Mr. Joseph, was aware of this and that he expected it to 'turn out right' and there would be difficulties for him if it didn't turn out right," Blackburn said.

NewsChannel 5 Investigates has previously reported that school board member Amy Frogge had informed Joseph a few months before that there was an unnamed woman who had come to her with a complaint of being sexually harassed by Carassco.

Instead of ordering an HR investigation, Joseph went to Carassco to let him know about Frogge's allegation.

The lawsuit claims that when the victim, Vanessa Garcia, finally made an official complaint, Joseph ordered HR staff to keep the investigation quiet...

Nashville School Officials Protected Sexual Harassers, Lawsuit Claims

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Did Nashville school officials protect men who engaged in horrendous sexual harassment against district employees?

That's the allegation contained in a new lawsuit. It accuses Metro Nashville Public Schools of running "sham investigations" in response to harassment complaints filed by employees.

The lawsuit -- which follows an exclusive NewsChannel 5 investigation -- was filed by three employees at Antioch's John F. Kennedy Middle School against the district, as well as the executive principal there, Dr. Sam Braden.

"As an entity, MNPS had a policy and practice of ignoring complaints of sexual harassment, as well as interfering with investigations of harassment," the lawsuit says...

...Right before that complaint was filed, another Metro Schools administrator, Mo Carrasco, had become the subject of a sexual harassment investigation. Carrasco was a longtime friend of Shawn Joseph and came with him to Nashville in 2016. [Both former Montgomery County Public Schools administrators]

In Carrasco's case, the lawsuit makes a stunning accusation.

"Ms. Pertiller came to the man in charge of this investigation and told him that he better 'get this right' in terms of outcome or Dr. Joseph would fire him," Blackburn said.

The lawsuit says that - even though Joseph knew there were allegations against his friend - Pertiller told the HR employee he would not be allowed to interview the director of schools about what he knew.

In the end, the investigation still concluded Carrasco was guilty, and he resigned.

But the lawsuit says that wasn't the end of it.

"The outcome was contrary to Mr. Carrasco, and all sorts of retaliation ensued for this employee afterwards," Blackburn explained....

https://www.newschannel5.com/news/newschannel-5-investigates/metro-schools/nashville-school-officials-protected-sexual-harassers-lawsuit-claims

Former MCPS administrator and Now Former Nashville public schools administrator made sexually explicit comments to employees, report shows

A top Nashville schools administrator on multiple occasions made sexually explicit comments to male and female employees, including about oral sex and his personal dating life, an internal Metro Schools report shows. 

A Metro Government human resources official said in the report that the administrator's actions were "too egregious to only receive a reprimand."

Moreno Carrasco, the former MNPS executive officer of organizational development, resigned from the district on Dec. 8 amid the ongoing investigation into his behavior.

"If Mr. Carrasco had not resigned, MNPS should have given him some measure of disciplinary action," said Michael Taylor, Metro Government human resources assistant director, in a Jan. 9 letter about the investigation. "In my view, his conduct was too egregious to only receive a reprimand."

Metro Nashville Public Schools said in a statement that the district sent the investigation of Carrasco out for an external audit because he was an employee of the district’s human resources department...

https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/education/2018/01/19/investigation-into-sexual-harrassment-allegations-former-nashville-public-schools-administrators-act/1048888001/

How PGCPS Executives transferred Corruption And got Caught

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – An exclusive NewsChannel 5 investigation has discovered that Metro Schools Director Shawn Joseph put unlicensed educators in positions of power inside the district.
Now the state has ordered the district to remove any unlicensed principals — and it’s taking a hard look at other top district leaders.
When Joseph took the helm back in July, he brought with him a large group of people with whom he had worked in other states.
But our investigation discovered that, for months, many were not actually licensed to work in Tennessee — and some still aren’t...

https://pgcpsmess.wordpress.com/2017/01/12/how-pgcps-executives-transferred-corruption-and-got-caught/

Why Wootton High School Really Isn't Turf Smart

The alternate title for this post could also have been Dr. Doran on how to install an artificial turf field Part 2. Do the parents at Wootton High School really think they are smarter than the average parent by getting their school to the top of the artificial turf list by handing over their own cash?

Aside from the ethics of supplementing the county coffers and the equity argument about jumping to the head of the line just because certain members of your community have more cash, does Wootton High School really know what it means to get into a partnership with a private organization?

Perhaps Dr. Doran should take a lesson from Moreno Carrasco, the former principal at Richard Montgomery High School.  Mr. C negotiated a partnership with Real Maryland, a "professional soccer team," that helped pay for the first artificial turf field at a Montgomery County High School.

So - how's that working for Richard Montgomery?

Real Maryland, owned by Maryland Soccer Enterprises, LLC. is having some problems.  Most notably, the entity forfeited their corporate charter in the state of Maryland.  You can check that out here or see the information below.  This doesn't seem like a good deal now - who is picking up Real Maryland's share of the field now?

The question for Dr. Doran and the Wootton Boosters is - how well do you know your business partner?  What happens if your partner decides to forfeit its license?  Who will pick up the pieces?


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Educational Extortion - 2009 Edition

In August 2008, Parents Coalition members used the term "educational extortion" in reference to the Montgomery County Public Schools practice of charging parents for textbooks and school materials in violation of the Maryland State Constitution guarantee of a free public education.

What lessons did MCPS learn? In a tight budget, it's time to up the ante and find some new sources of funds.

This year's back to school surprise comes packaged with the large plastic bags, also known as the artificial turf fields that are populating athletic fields in high schools across the county. First, Richard Montgomery, then Walter Johnson and Montgomery Blair. Next stop - your neighborhood or mine.

All summer long, the Safe and Healthy Playing Fields Coalition has been talking about the maintenance costs that accompany installation of these fields. But who pays when the fields belong to the school system?

That's the $64,000 question. The Interagency Coordinating Board, the county entity responsible for establishing and collecting the fees charged as part of the community use of schools, says that the fees should cover the cost of the maintenance.
ICB081109


So - why is MCPS demanding payment from Richard Montgomery? According to the Richard Montgomery booster club minutes (http://rmboosters.org/minutes/june09.pdf):

The turf maintenance issue was revisited. [name deleted] gave the club a recap of his meeting with MCPS to discuss the expectation by MCPS that the Boosters will pay for the maintenance on the turf field. Again it was mentioned that the Boosters were not informed up-front of this expectation. The club discussed whether the Boosters should be responsible for maintenance of a county field and if we refuse to fund the maintenance, whether it voids the current warranty on the field. [name deleted] was asked to look into the warranty and report back at the next meeting his findings.

Sounds like? Extortion.


For those of you who are new to this issue, here is the definition of extortion from dictionary.com:

ex⋅tor⋅tion

   /ɪkˈstɔrʃən/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [ik-stawr-shuhn]

–noun

1.	an act or instance of extorting.

2.	Law. the crime of obtaining money or some other thing of value by the abuse of one's office or authority.

3.	oppressive or illegal exaction, as of excessive price or interest: the extortions of usurers.

4.	anything extorted.

Can someone provide Dr. Weast with a dictionary - or maybe better legal counsel?

MCPS Principals Endorse RMHS Principal's Consulting Business

April, 5, 2008

A Montgomery County principal who was running pricey private seminars, including one scheduled at his school on a weekday, shut down his consulting company Friday after The Examiner discovered that his side business may violate the Board of Education's code of ethics.
Since incorporating the business in 2006, Moreno "Mo" Carrasco, principal of Rockville's Richard Montgomery High School and Maryland's 2007 High School Principal of the Year, has held several "Breakthrough Principal" seminars at schools around the region, often scheduled during the week.
Minutes after an interview with The Examiner, the company Web site, savetheprincipal.com, was taken down and all future events were canceled. Earlier versions of the site listed a "One Day Refresher Institute" open to members of his $399 "Principals' Network" to be held Monday at Richard Montgomery between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. Though a day off for students, Monday is a professional day for staff...

...Three glowing testimonials on the site included two from principals at Montgomery County's Beall Elementary and Roberto Clemente Middle School, and one from Carrasco himself, whose role in the company is apparent only on incorporating documents registered with the state...

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/montgomery-principal-shuts-down-consulting-side-business/article/70835

Montgomery principal shuts down consulting side business

Montgomery principal shuts down consulting side business, Leah Fabel, The Examiner, 2008_04_05, http://www.examiner .com/a_1322126~ Montgomery_ principal_ shuts_down_ consulting_ side_business. html

A Montgomery County principal who was running pricey private seminars, including one scheduled at his school on a weekday, shut down his consulting company Friday after The Examiner discovered that his side business may violate the Board of Education's code of ethics. Since incorporating the business in 2006, Moreno "Mo" Carrasco, principal of Rockville's Richard Montgomery High School and Maryland's 2007 High School Principal of the Year, has held several "Breakthrough Principal" seminars at schools around the region, often scheduled during the week. Minutes after an interview with The Examiner, the company Web site, savetheprincipal. com, was taken down and all future events were canceled. Earlier versions of the site listed a "One Day Refresher Institute" open to members of his $399 "Principals' Network" to be held Monday at Richard Montgomery between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. Though a day off for students, Monday is a professional day for staff.

District spokesman Brian Edwards said Superintendent Jerry Weast knew nothing of Carrasco's business activities. "We will investigate the matter and take appropriate action as warranted," Edwards said. Carrasco's two_day institutes cost $469 for each administrator and a secretary, with a minimum of 20 "teams." The site advertised outcomes such as "Do the principal's job in 8 hours a day." "If it's during the school day, this would be highly inappropriate, " said Pat O'Neill, a member of the school board. "Being a principal is a rather time_consuming job, and I'd be surprised if he had the time to be doing this."

Board ethics code forbids school officials from "any employment that would affect their usefulness as employees" or "would make time and/or energy demands upon the individuals that could interfere with their effectiveness. " Carrasco said he wasn't able to say how much he had made with his venture. Three glowing testimonials on the site included two from principals at Montgomery County's Beall Elementary and Roberto Clemente Middle School, and one from Carrasco himself, whose role in the company is apparent only on incorporating documents registered with the state. In an interview with The Examiner, Carrasco said seminars within the county were free of charge, and he was no longer pursuing the business. "I want to clarify for the record that this is not a conflict of interest, and I have looked at the ethics policies," Carrasco said. "The story that should be written is how innovative my practices are."