The Saga of Superintendent McKnight's Unsettled Move

 

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) superintendent Monifa McKnight seems to be caught in a never-ending vortex of residency confusion. Per Dr. McKnight's contract -- executed more than a year ago -- she was required to become a resident of Montgomery County no later than June 30, 2023.

With the June 30 contractual deadline for establishing residency in Montgomery County having passed, Superintendent McKnight has found herself entangled in a web of embarrassing circumstances that have left some in the community scratching their heads.

McKnight, the esteemed leader responsible for shaping young minds, is still registered to vote in Prince George's County. How could the superintendent guide the educational ship when her political allegiance is seemingly in a different county altogether?

Adding fuel to the fire, the Department of Assessments and Taxation has spilled the beans on McKnight's residential uncertainty. Her Prince George's County home is still certified as her principal residence, leaving residents to ponder if she's moonlighting as a homeowner in two different counties. 

Amidst the chaos, the Board of Education's oblivious response (or no response at all) has raised eyebrows.  Residents can't help but wonder if the board has mistakenly turned their oversight duties into a game of "Let's Disregard Superintendent McKnight's Contract" —a delightful diversion from the seriousness of their roles.

As the frustration echoes through the community, the saga of Superintendent McKnight's residency misadventures continues. Will she ever find her way to Montgomery County? Will her Prince George's County home become a backup residence? Only time will tell in this uproarious tale that proves even the most serious matters can sometimes take an unexpected detour, especially under our Board of Education.

County report reveals that highest paid MCPS employees tend to live outside of Montgomery County

For MCPS employees, there is a striking inverse correlation between earnings and the inclination to reside in Montgomery County. The statistics for FY2023 highlight this stark disparity, with a mere 58.6% of highly compensated administrators and principals choosing to make Montgomery County their home, in contrast to a significantly higher proportion of 81.6% among relatively low paid clerical workers, janitors, teachers' aides, and blue-collar employees.

These findings strongly suggest that principals and administrators are opting to establish their residences outside of Montgomery County not due to financial constraints, but rather because they perceive other counties as more conducive to their preferred way of life. Meanwhile, it is noteworthy that relatively modestly paid secretaries, janitors, and blue-collar workers continue to favor Montgomery County as their place of residence, despite the often-cited "lack of affordable housing" in the area.

The situation is equally discernible among teachers affiliated with the MCEA, as they, too, exhibit a higher tendency to reside outside of Montgomery County compared to their lower-paid counterparts, such as secretaries, janitors, and blue-collar workers represented by the SEIU. In fact, the data from FY2023 illustrates that only 63.8% of teachers chose to reside in Montgomery County, whereas a substantial majority of 81.6% of SEIU members elected to call Montgomery County their home.

 https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/council/Resources/Files/agenda/col/2023/20230512/20230512_3.pdf

Pages 43 to 44 (PDF 47 to 48):

MCAAP - Montgomery County Association of Administrators and Principals -- Typically paid $130,000 to $300,000.

MCBOA- Montgomery County Business and Operations Administrators -- Typically paid $80,000 to $130,000.

SEUI - Service Employees -- Typically paid $20,000 (part time) to $50,000.

MCEA - Teachers -- Typically paid $57,000 to $110,000.

Given the above data, it seems disingenuous for teachers to claim that they can't afford to live in Montgomery County when a significantly greater percentage of lower paid MCPS employees are able to afford to live in Montgomery County. 

Did the PG Tower Committee Violate the MD Open Meetings Act and Leave Out Community Notice and Input? #celltowers

This is the Open Meetings Act complaint that was the subject of the September 18, 2014, NBC4 report.

  2014 OMA Complaint PG Tower Committee Copy by Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland

Delegate Jolene Ivey's Magic School Bus

A special Parents Coalition hats off to Delegate Jolene Ivey, a state representative from District 47 in PG county.   Del. Ivey is demonstrating that she is a true leader in the Maryland legislature, and a strong advocate on behalf of its children.

As readers of this blog know, MoCo and its sister counties across the state are faced with tough budget decisions this year.  PG County looked into charging bus fees for their students who attend special programs.

Guess what - its just as illegal to charge bus fees in PG as it is in all local jurisdictions in Maryland.  But instead of pushing legislation to get around those fees, like MoCo's own Sentator, Rich Madalano, Delegate Ivey did some research, got some answers from the state, and then shared the letter with her constituents.

You can read the memo to Del. Ivey here.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/51599556/March-25-2011-Delegate-Jolene-Ivey


What a great job, Delegate Ivey, on behalf of PG County.