As new Montgomery County Board of Education members are sworn in, will Maryland law be followed?
Showing posts with label ethics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ethics. Show all posts
Monday, December 2, 2024
Tuesday, September 24, 2024
BOE Member Shebra Evans Should Recuse Herself from Discussions of "In the Matter of AUTOFLEX FLEET, INC" After Endorsement from Plaintiff's Attorney
Litigation involving the MCPS electric school bus procurement is currently before the Montgomery County Board of Education. The Parents' Coalition made the Appellate Court Order of March 5, 2024, public.
AutoFlex Fleet, Inc. has been represented by Ryan Spiegel in this litigation.
Attorney Ryan Spiegel is also Delegate Ryan Spiegel and he recently endorsed Board of Education member Shebra Evans for re-election in November.
Shebra Evans should now recuse herself of any further discussions of the AutoFlex Fleet litigation as it now appears that she has a personal connection with the plaintiff's attorney.
Friday, January 12, 2024
Michael Durso’s long history with MCPS draws pointed reactions to his new role
Montgomery County Public Schools has hired former Board of Education member Michael Durso to serve as the acting chief of staff after the departure of Brian Stockton...
...Cram declined to disclose Durso’s pay to MoCo360, writing that a Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA) must be filed. Durso told MoCo360 that his pay will likely hover around a $230,000 yearly salary, although his pay has not yet been finalized and papers still need to be signed.
The chief of staff has one of the highest paid positions in MCPS. In February 2023, MoCo360 reported that as chief of staff for MCPS, Stockton made a yearly salary of $226,244...
...Janis Sartucci, a member of the Parents’ Coalition, a watchdog parent advocacy group, told MoCo360 that the group believes Durso is the wrong person to bring to the school system as it is in “recovery mode.”
Sartucci also stated that while Durso was a member and president of the school board, he had the opportunity to update the MCPS Code of Conduct in a way that could have prevented the long-term abuses of principal Joel Beidleman.
The watchdog group is left wondering: Why MCPS is “recycling” former school board members?
Monday, July 10, 2023
BEWARE of Donations to MCPS "Foundation". Foundation has $7.7M in assets. State Audit Finding shows MCPS did not have a memorandum of agreement with its affiliated foundation to address each entity’s roles and responsibilities.
Maryland Office of Legislative Audits finding related to the MCPS Educational Foundation that is currently requesting donations for student school supplies. What do they really do with your donations?
Finding 13
MCPS did not have a memorandum of agreement with its affiliated
foundation to address each entity’s roles and responsibilities.
Analysis
MCPS did not have a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with its affiliated
foundation (Montgomery County Public Schools Educational Foundation) to
address each entity’s roles and responsibilities. The Foundation is a tax exempt
charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service
(IRS) code that was created in 1988. According to filings with the IRS and its
website, the Foundation’s purpose is to support and enhance the educational goals
established by the Board of Education of Montgomery County, which it
accomplishes through fundraising and providing grants to teachers and
scholarships to students.
According to the Foundation's fiscal year 2020 audited financial statements,
revenues and expenditures totaled $1.8 million and $1.2 million, respectively.
Additionally, as of June 30, 2020, the Foundation’s assets totaled $7.7 million,
which primarily consisted of cash of $1.2 million and investments of $6.5 million.
The Foundation’s unrestricted funds totaled approximately $2.3 million.
Under the circumstances, given the Foundation’s public purpose and its
relationship to MCPS, it would be appropriate to enter into a formal MOA that
specifies the roles and responsibilities of each entity, which could include the
following:
The Foundation’s solicitation, collection, and administration of funds.
Although the Foundation had an investment policy, the policy did not address
controls over collected funds including proper collateralization of funds, the
use of interest bearing accounts, and procedures for the accounting and
reporting of fund balances. The policy also did not address the need for a
long-term plan that maximizes the use of unrestricted funds.
The Foundation’s conflict of interest policy for board members and
Foundation employees. Although the Foundation had an ethics policy, the
policy was not as comprehensive as those provided for under the State Ethics
law, which addresses standards of conduct, ethics training, and completing
annual financial disclosures by board members and officers. Such a policy
would provide additional assurance regarding the integrity of the Foundation’s
board and its processes, and should include a requirement to advise MCPS of
conflict of interest issues.
The Foundation’s procurement policies for purchases donated to MCPS.
The Foundation’s submission of an annual audit report to MCPS’ Board of
Education.
MCPS’ sharing of priorities, projects and resource requirements; including the
sharing of any non-private data to assist the Foundation’s effort.
MCPS’ providing of any in-kind support functions and the use of its facilities
to the Foundation.
Recommendation 13
We recommend that MCPS enter into an MOA with its affiliated Foundation
detailing the roles and responsibilities for each entity in critical areas such as
conflicts of interest, collection and safeguarding funds, and procurement
policies.
MCPS22 MD Office of Legisla... by Parents' Coalition of Montg...
Wednesday, December 21, 2022
While the last council had historically hashed out differences behind closed doors, members of a growing progressive wing said in interviews that they plan to be outspoken in pursuit of the policies they ran on enacting.
Despite the public celebration of diversity, several council members voiced discontent over the maneuvering that took place behind closed doors to justify leadership picks. They say the decisions consolidated power between two White men and missed an early opportunity to give more influence to historically underrepresented communities.
“I want the public to be more aware of this process and be able to voice opinions and concerns prior to internal deliberations,” said Laurie-Anne Sayles (D), a Black woman freshly elected to one of the council’s at-large seats.
In addition to the top two leadership spots, Glass and Friedson will also chair two committees widely regarded as among the council’s most important: Planning, Housing and Parks; and Transportation and Environment. Meanwhile, the two Black council members said they did not get any of their top choices for committee assignments...
On historically diverse Montgomery Council, tensions over transparency - The Washington Post
Monday, October 10, 2022
Look: Another Organization Brings Science to Local Schools!! There isn't just one organization that brings Science to Schools. #MAEFMobileLab
The Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation wasn't permitted to bid on providing science education programs to MCPS schools so we will never know what they might have offered or the cost for their programs.
An open, transparent procurement process puts all of the options on the table and enables the Board of Education to make the best use of finite education funding. Will the Montgomery County Board of Education ever decide to put out all procurements for competitive bids?
Thank you Mrs. Stoner of the Mobile Science Lab - Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation (MAEF)! 🐮 We learned which was stronger? Milk or Elmers glue?? Awesome time learning. 🎆📝 pic.twitter.com/lRJuY05rlE
— LPES (@lpes_smcps) May 13, 2022
Wednesday, September 21, 2022
Sunday, September 18, 2022
The report, a copy of which also was obtained by The Washington Post, concluded that “alcohol was stored and served from Chair Anderson’s office(s)” and that it was “reasonable to conclude, most of Chair Anderson’s senior staff and Montgomery County Planning Board members were aware of these activities.”
...A photo sent by the tipster, authenticated by the IG and included as part of the report, shows two shelves in a cabinet stocked with approximately 20 bottles of alcohol and mixers. A second photo, provided by Anderson to the IG, showed the cabinet was later emptied.
Details of the inspector general’s findings were first reported by ABC7, which obtained a copy of the confidential report.
The report, a copy of which also was obtained by The Washington Post, concluded that “alcohol was stored and served from Chair Anderson’s office(s)” and that it was “reasonable to conclude, most of Chair Anderson’s senior staff and Montgomery County Planning Board members were aware of these activities.” The report said, however, there was no evidence alcohol was consumed during working hours and while there was no evidence of “direct coercion to participate,” one person told the IG that there was “self-pressure to participate to fit in.”
Anderson told the IG he was aware of the commission’s policy, which prohibits the “manufacture, distribution, sale, presence or use of controlled substances and alcohol in the workplace, M-NCPPC vehicles, and other agency property.”..
Montgomery official apologizes for keeping alcohol in his government office - The Washington Post
Saturday, September 17, 2022
A Montgomery County Official Kept An Incredibly Well-Stocked Office Bar. We Made Him A Cocktail Menu
A whistleblower reported Casey Anderson’s liquor cabinet, which reportedly has more than 30 bottles of liquor in it, along with citrus squeezers and other bar tools, ABC7 reported. An investigation by the Inspector General of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, which administers the county planning board, turned up at least three employees who acknowledged drinking alcohol in Anderson’s office, according to the report. In a statement to ABC7, Anderson apologized for keeping the bar at the office.
Montgomery Council launches probe of official who kept well-stocked bar in his office
...In an interview, Council President Gabe Albornoz (D) said he and his colleagues are “very concerned” about Anderson’s practice of drinking at work and have launched their own review.
“The Council oversees Casey, because he is a political appointee,” said Albornoz. “So whatever action is taken will be the council’s responsibility.” He said the panel cannot disclose details because they consider the issue to be a personnel matter.
Albornoz declined to speculate on potential sanctions, but he said the council would be guided in part by how the commission has handled instances in which other employees have engaged in similar conduct.
“There are factors that are going to be considered. Scope and any sort of precedent. We’re looking at commission rules [as well as] how as the commission handled other incidences in which alcohol has been involved with merit-level employees to see if there is some guidance,” he said. “All of those are factors that we’re going to weigh.”..
Thursday, April 21, 2022
Ethics panel resigns after report falsely accuses Prince George's school board members
The source of much of the anger, a supposedly confidential school board ethics panel report leaked to politicians and reporters including 7 News.
The report falsely accused certain board members of easily disproven wrongdoing...
Friday, February 4, 2022
Parents concerned with Montgomery County Public Schools' superintendent search
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (FOX 5 DC) - Montgomery County Public Schools says it will announce its new superintendent on Tuesday, Feb. 8, but tonight, some parents in the county are raising questions over transparency in the hiring process.
The Parents Coalition of Montgomery wants to know why former Superintendent Dr. Jack Smith, now works for the company hired to find his replacement.
Dr. Monifa McKnight, Smith's former deputy, is now acting superintendent and is a candidate for the job.
Joseph Hawkins of the Parents Coalition describes MCPS' search as shrouded in secrecy.
"I think it would be difficult to be completely satisfied given the lack of transparency that takes place so yes if she’s appointed, she’s appointed, but we don’t know really what happened behind those closed doors," Hawkins said. "We don’t even know the other candidates!"
In an email to FOX 5, Dr. Jack Smith confirmed he does indeed work with the company that is helping MCPS find his replacement. However, he says he has not been involved with the school system's search...
Friday, October 16, 2020
As City of Gaithersburg Takes $1.5M +/- "Gift" from MoCo Board of Education, Who Sits on City Ethics Commission But a MoCo Board of Ed. member. #Ethics
The Board of Education had put forth that the land was being given over at no cost, but the actual contract reveals that the Board of Education will be spending over $1.5 million dollars +/- to pay the City of Gaithersburg what can only be described as gifts since the contract does not detail the actual cost of these items. The gifts to the City are to be paid for by the Board of Education and will include an artificial turf football field (and costs for the future replacement of that field), bleachers, lighting and a tot lot.
Clearly, the land is not being handed over to the Board of Education at "no cost." But what is the exact cost to the Board of Education and the MCPS Operating Budget? That number can only be estimated as no exact cost was included in the contract.
If any any point in time there are ever allegations of unethical actions by the City of Gaithersburg elected leaders or their staff, any such complaint would go before the City of Gaithersburg Ethics Commission.
Montgomery County Board of Education member Rebecca Smondrowski is a member of the City of Gaithersburg Ethics Commission.
From Board member Smondrowki's online MCPS bio:
Mrs. Smondrowski was reappointed as a Commissioner for the City of Gaithersburg Ethics Commission in January 2015.
https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/boe/members/district2.aspx
Tuesday, October 6, 2020
Sup. Ct. Sotomayor to Montgomery County Prosecutor: “Prosecutors fall short of this task, and therefore do a grave disservice to the people in whose name they litigate, when they permit themselves to enjoy unfair trial advantages at defendants’ expense. Here, regardless of the reason for their acquisition of Kaur’s privileged information … the prosecutors should have recused themselves from participating in Kaur’s second trial as a matter of professional conscience.”
...Justice Sonia Sotomayor, in a written statement, said she agreed with the high court’s decision not to hear Raminder Kaur’s appeal. However, that did not absolve the Montgomery County prosecutors of having gone forward with Kaur’s second prosecution after having seen the privileged documents when Kaur waged a successful ineffective assistance of counsel challenge to her first conviction, Sotamayor added.
“Prosecutors wield an immense amount of power, and they do so in the name of the state itself,” Sotomayor wrote.
“That unique privilege comes with the exceptional responsibility to ensure that the criminal justice system indeed serves the ends of justice,” Sotomayor added. “Prosecutors fall short of this task, and therefore do a grave disservice to the people in whose name they litigate, when they permit themselves to enjoy unfair trial advantages at defendants’ expense. Here, regardless of the reason for their acquisition of Kaur’s privileged information … the prosecutors should have recused themselves from participating in Kaur’s second trial as a matter of professional conscience.”
The prosecutors’ failure to recuse “casts a troubling and unnecessary shadow over Kaur’s conviction and sentence to life imprisonment,” Sotomayor wrote...
https://thedailyrecord.com/2020/10/05/supreme-court-denies-germantown-murderers-appeal/
Monday, July 6, 2020
County’s chief administrative officer found guilty of ethics violation: Kleine must pay $5,000 to county
https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/government/countys-chief-administrative-officer-found-guilty-of-ethics-violation/
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
Don’t alienate students: keep SMOB nonpartisan #StudentMemberoftheBoard #ethics #nonpartisan
Montgomery County is considered one of the most liberal areas of the country. In the 2016 Presidential Election, Democrat Hilary Clinton received 74.7% of the vote in the County while Republican Donald Trump only received 19.1%. Democrats clearly outnumber Republicans in Montgomery County, but that doesn’t mean we should isolate Republicans in all facets of government.
The 2019–2020 Student Member of the Board, Nate Tinbite, has done this.
Tinbite is one of just a handful of SMOBs to publicly declare his political party: he’s a Democrat, and he vocally expresses his liberal views on social media. On Oct. 19, he posted on his Instagram that he intended to vote for a Democrat, either Elizabeth Warren or Bernie Sanders, in the 2020 Election. More recently, on Nov. 15, Tinbite posted an image of himself with Education Secretary Betsy Devos on his Twitter, captioning it, “only one of us supports public education.” Tinbite later tweeted that, “this tweet is an opinion of my own, not representative of my system or others.”
But Tinbite should follow past SMOBs and remain apolitical in order to create a more inclusive, non-partisan environment across MCPS. As a result of his partisan vocality, he’s isolated students who lean further right on the political spectrum, and he’s created unnecessary distractions from his goals for the school system.
Many conservative students in MCPS have cited concerns regarding a lack of representation. They don’t feel supported by a SMOB that adamantly disagrees with their stances on federal politics.
“I voted for Tinbite under the impression that he would focus on MCPS,” said Trey Lee, a conservative junior. “His liberal posts on social media have definitely made me hesitant to support him. I don’t know if I would’ve voted for him if I knew he had all these beliefs that contradicted mine.”
By focusing on divisive national politics, Tinbite has distracted students from pressing local issues regarding high school students.
“In SMOB candidates’ campaigns, their promises are centered around the changes they would make,” junior David Singer said. “It would be more practical for them to use their professional accounts to poll students on relevant local issues.”..
Monday, April 1, 2019
The Post Investigates: Councilman’s Financial Docs Reveal BCPS Ties, But Conceal County Contracts
Baltimore County Councilman Julian Jones may have just joined a building cast of characters recently zinged in Maryland for failing to disclose business connections when signing legal forms designed to capture conflicts of interest.
Joining former Baltimore County Superintendent Dallas Dance and Baltimore City Mayor Catherine Pugh, the District Four Councilman revealed his wife’s connection as vice president of a moving company, Walters Relocation Services, but failed to mention agreements with Baltimore County government in his financial statements, which includes at least two master agreements and contracts, some which have been in place since at least 2012.
On all four years of his financial disclosure statements, Jones made clear that his spouse, Sabrina Jones, worked as a principal for the company. Missing, however, was information stating that Baltimore County government contracted with the company for moving and relocation services, and not the Board of Elections as he indicated on the forms, which is a distinct and separate entity.
Even two fellow councilmen were unaware of the connection to the county vendor.
Clearly disclosed on Jones’ financial records, however, was that the moving company had been doing business with Baltimore County Public Schools – for years – and had earned over $610,000 from the school system, during former Superintendent Dallas Dance’s entire tenure, records show...
Tuesday, October 30, 2018
Apple Ballot Endorsed Candidate Uses MCPS Website as Campaign Website #ethics #AppleBallot #MSEA #MCEA
See what happens when we click on the Judy Docca online ad.
Are election ads for candidates supposed to use government resources to promote their campaigns?
Why doesn't this candidate have her own election website?
Are election ads for candidates supposed to use government resources to promote their campaigns?
Why doesn't this candidate have her own election website?
Wednesday, August 1, 2018
Lawsuit Over Gaithersburg Teen’s Death in Gym Class Continues in County Court
...The mother of Taylor Walton, a 14-year-old Gaithersburg High School student, filed the lawsuit after Taylor’s death in 2015 after an asthma attack in gym class.
The complaint claims that Taylor started having trouble breathing during her gym class on Nov. 30, 2015, and asked permission to get her inhaler out of her locker. Her gym teacher wouldn’t let her leave class after two requests.
Taylor later left the class without permission and was found unconscious near the gymnasium a short time later, according to court filings.
The federal complaint claimed that two Gaithersburg High School teachers were grossly negligent in refusing Taylor’s requests to leave class to get an inhaler and violated her civil rights by denying her permission to leave, and that the Board of Education was negligent in hiring and supervising employees...
Lawsuit Over Gaithersburg Teen’s Death in Gym Class Continues in County Court: A federal judge denied claim of Fourth Amendment violation, but made no decision on negligence claims
Wednesday, May 2, 2018
Ethics Opinion Released: BCPS Administrator "used the prestige of her office or public position for private gain"
WBAL: State Superintendent Karen Salmon has declined to approve Verletta White as the permanent superintendent for Baltimore County Public Schools.Salmon balked at the report from the county school board's ethics review panel. White failed to disclose outside income from consulting work. Her term as interim superintendent runs through June.
It is my understanding that the Ethics Panel also found that she used the prestige of her office in ways that violated ethics law," Salmon wrote in a letter to school board chair Edward J. Gilliss. "I consider an ethics violation to be a serious breach of trust with the public in general and with the education community in particular."..http://www.wbal.com/article/310536/124/state-superintendent-rejects-verletta-whites-appointment-to-lead-baltimore-co-schools
Full text of the Ethics Opinion is show below:
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