Walter Johnson High School Charging Students $71 to Attend Free Public School Graduation. FYI: There are no fees to attend MCPS graduations.

The Maryland legislature and the Montgomery County Board of Education have not authorized the charging of any fees for attendance at MCPS graduations.  There are no legal senior dues or fees to attend Montgomery County Public Schools.  That fact becomes clear when a comparison of high schools shows that some MCPS high schools don't have any senior dues or graduation fees. 

As the Parents' Coalition has shown over the years, Kennedy High School students are charged the highest "senior dues." 

If any Montgomery County Board of Education members would like to explain why Kennedy High School students have been targeted for these illegal fees, we would be happy to post their explanation.

wj-senior-letter---class-of-2023.pdf (montgomeryschoolsmd.org)

Abbott says Texas could 'resurrect' SCOTUS case requiring states to educate all kids

 From the Austin American-Statesman, May 4, 2022, reporter Niki Griswold. Full story here.

Gov. Greg Abbott said Wednesday that Texas would consider challenging a 1982 U.S. Supreme Court decision requiring states to offer free public education to all children, including those of undocumented immigrants.

"Texas already long ago sued the federal government about having to incur the costs of the education program, in a case called Plyler versus Doe," Abbott said, speaking during an appearance on the Joe Pags show, a conservative radio talk show. "And the Supreme Court ruled against us on the issue. ... I think we will resurrect that case and challenge this issue again, because the expenses are extraordinary and the times are different than when Plyler versus Doe was issued many decades ago."

The remarks came days after a leaked draft of a forthcoming U.S. Supreme Court opinion revealed that a majority of justices are poised to revoke Roe v. Wade, the landmark case establishing the right to abortion. 

Montgomery County needs to own up to its faux progressivism

 
In today’s volatile social climate, it seems like people worry more about being called racist than about racism itself. While the majority of society rightfully condemns overt acts of discrimination, implicit racism is a much more normalized part of our daily lives. Nobody is exempt from perpetuating this culture of casual racism, including those who may work the hardest to appear outwardly “woke” — the white progressive elite...

...As a result, white liberalism breeds a culture of implicit racism and performative wokeness.  

Growing up in Bethesda, Maryland, I’ve experienced this phenomenon firsthand...

...In addition, white people think simply claiming the label of “progressive” or “Democrat” is sufficient to show that they are not racist...

https://dbknews.com/2020/09/04/white-progressive-antiracist-montgomery-country/

MCPS and Montgomery County Funded Saturday School FINALLY Free for Students

MCPS pays for the principal of this private school out of MCPS Operating Budget funds, provides the program a wing of a public school for free and additional funding.  Montgomery County also provides additional funding to this private school.  But until now, students had to pay tuition to attend this MCPS and Montgomery County funded program.  Finally this County funded private school is opening up to provide a free public education for all. 

SUMMER SCHOOL BASICS

This online program offers core academic support – in Math, Reading, and Language Arts – from certified teachers.

The materials and tutoring are aligned with the curriculum of MCPS (Montgomery County Public Schools).

PROGRAM COST
FREE

GRADES
K-12

DATE
July 7 through August 18, 2020

TIMES
9:00 to 11:00 am
Tues., Wed., and Thursday

Closing Ceremonies August 19th

https://www.saturdayschool.org/2020/06/04/summer-programs-online-july-and-august-2020/

The Students Suing for a Constitutional Right to Education

A new federal complaint with a unique argument accuses the state of Rhode Island of failing to provide students with the skills they need to participate effectively in a democracy.

Nearly all of the world’s 180-plus countries include the term education in their constitution. Most guarantee every child the right to free education, and many make participation in some form of schooling mandatory; some even provideuniversal access to affordable college. For the remaining handful, the UN’s decades-old treaty on children’s rights, which stipulates various educational protections, serves as a backup, and has been ratified by pretty much every sovereign nation on the planet. Except for one.

That one country is the United States of America, a nation that prizes the idea that anyone should be able to build a better life through education and hard work. Activists have occasionally sought to address this constitutional omission through congressional legislation, grassroots campaigns, and federal litigation, but they’ve never succeeded. Of the few cases that have made it to the U.S. Supreme Court, not a single one has managed to secure a majority ruling in favor of an argument that there is an implied right to an education in the Constitution. Against this backdrop, federal litigation over educational rights has all but disappeared in the past half century. Meanwhile, the nation’s public schools continue to vary significantly in funding, quality, and academic and social outcomes...

https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2018/11/lawsuit-constitutional-right-education/576901/

Class action lawsuit: Charging Idaho students fees is unconstitutional (Same thing going on in Montgomery County Public Schools)

The complaint says school districts have been charging students unconstitutional fees, on the grounds of free public education and taking of private property.

BOISE -- A class action lawsuit was filed in federal court, urging Idaho school districts to stop charging students fees.

The suit lists every school district as defendants and every K-12 student and their parents or guardians as plaintiffs. The lawsuit claims their rights have been violated under the Idaho and U.S. Constitutions.

Former Idaho Supreme Court Justice Robert Huntley and attorney Jason Wood filed a class action complaint in late May, but it is not certified yet. The districts have been served, they say, and they are waiting for all of them to respond.

This class action complaint says school districts have been charging students unconstitutional fees, on the grounds of free public education and taking of private property.

"The hope of this lawsuit is if we get substantial judgment against these school districts, finally the school districts, patrons, the PTAs and parents and grandparents will come to the Legislature and say: Legislature, do your job," Robert Huntley said. "If we get a judgment against the school districts, I would think school districts would come to the Legislature and say 'pay up, reimburse us'."

The basic motivation of this lawsuit is this:

"The constitution provides that the Legislature shall provide free common public schools, which includes charter schools. And what's happened in Idaho is we've been underfunding very badly," Huntley told KTVB. "It's sophistry to say you're for education if you don't want to fund it."

https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/education/class-action-lawsuit-charging-idaho-students-fees-is-unconstitutional/277-573723828

MCPS Board of Education Denies Daly ES Students Free Public Education #poverty #FARMS #extortion #AppleBallot

 "...at Daly, some third-graders need help paying the $5 fee for the recorders they use in music class..."

It is 2017, but the Montgomery County Board of Education still refuses to abide by the Maryland Constitution and offer all public school students a free education.  

This recent article in Bethesda Magazine (link below) about Daly Elementary School in Germantown notes that the children are being required to pay a fee to participate in their music class.  That is an illegal fee and in violation of the Maryland Constitution's guarantee of a free public education for public school students.  

In Maryland, everything connected with the curriculum is to be provided to students for free.  One day, maybe progressive Montgomery County will follow the law.  

http://www.bethesdamagazine.com/Bethesda-Magazine/November-December-2017/Hope-Lives-Here/

Civil War-era law used to sue Mississippi over school system

Four mothers are challenging Mississippi’s public education system, saying the state is violating a legal promise it made a century and a half ago to keep a “uniform system of free public schools.”

The lawsuit, filed by the Southern Poverty Law Center against the state’s top officials, is using a unique legal theory to challenge inequities in the system, saying Mississippi is failing to keep its promise, made as a condition to rejoin the Union after the Civil War.

But since then, Mississippi has broken that promise many times, starting with the adoption of the 1890 constitution, said Jody Owens, managing attorney in the center’s Jackson office. “The state’s education system is shamefully inequitable and anything but uniform.”...

http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2017/05/23/lawsuit-mississippi-broke-its-promise-provide-uniform-education-all-students/338931001/

MCPS Bans Students from Graduation Ceremonies All the Time

If you owe MCPS or your local principal cash, whether the fee charged was legal or illegal, you do not get to attend graduation.  (For example, senior dues are an illegal fee. They are not authorized by the legislature or the Board of Education, but that does not stop principals from banning students from graduation if they do not pay up.)

No cash = no cap and gown = no ceremony 

MCPS - Still Ripping Off Students, Now with the Chromebook Excuse

Once again we remind Montgomery County Public Schools and the Board of Education that the Maryland Constitution guarantees ALL children a FREE PUBLIC EDUCATION.

Let's make this really simple:  If the CURRICULUM requires headphones, they are to be SUPPLIED for FREE by the public school system.

For College Gardens Elementary School students that means you do not have to pay $3 for headphones and you do not need to bring them from home.  If you need them for your classes, MCPS will be supplying them to you as part of their $2.4 BILLION dollar operating budget.  That's what those billions of dollars are for, that is Maryland law. 

In this specific example below, not only is College Gardens ES charging students for something that should be supplied for free, but College Gardens is overcharging students ($3.00) what MCPS is paying for these headphones ($2.75).  That's a rip off on top of a rip off with no accounting for where the extra funds are going. 

For readers that wonder why we track the expense accounts of administrators, here's why!   

How many headphones did Board of Education members "party" away last year? 2,398

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

January 28, 2015

Dear Parents/Guardians,

College Gardens has received chrome books for all students in grades 3 and 5. These are in addition to the 90 chrome books purchased by the PTA. With the use of the chrome books, students will need headphones. Students may bring their own from home or purchase KOSS headphones from the school for $3.00.

The chrome books are used in the classrooms to enhance creativity and collaboration in the classroom. All students will have access to a Google Apps for Education account. These accounts are secure to the learning environment and staff members are able to access their accounts. The staff and student accounts enable document sharing, collaborative work, and assessment opportunities in this cloud-based platform. For MCPS, participating students and staff are assigned an “@mcpsmd.net” G-mail like account. With this e-mail account students only have access to w-mail with people inside the MCPS system. Student progress and engagement will be monitored via a learning management system integrated into the platform that allows teachers to send information to students, offer real-time feedback, and monitor progress on activities.

As an added precaution to safeguard students, MCPS has enabled a feature of Google Search called “Safe Search” within our Google Apps domain. With “Safe Search” enabled, sexually explicit video and images are filtered from Google Search result pages, along with results that might link to explicit content when logged into their account. In essence, students’ internet searches are safer and more secure than if they were not using their accounts to conduct the same searches.

If you have questions or want additional information on the MCPS initiative to bring chrome books into the schools, please contact the Office of the Chief Technology Officer at 301-279-3581, or if you have questions regarding the use of chrome books at College Gardens you may contact me at 301-279-8470.

Sincerely,

Stacey Rogovoy

Principal

SR:cb

When does spending less really mean spending more?

Answer:  When your kids go back to school.

According to the New York Times, parents are spending less on certain school items - like clothing, because money is tight.  Sound familiar?  Its not just in our own Montgomery County Public School District.

However, one expense has increased - and that is school supplies.  When money is tight, schools try to do more with less, and often items we took for granted when we were in school - like scissors, paper, and glue - are in short supply, so parents are asked to chip in.

Montgomery County is not alone in facing more students who can't afford school supplies.  Is this a factor at your school?

The NYTimes notes:

 Of the more than one million K-12 students enrolled in New York City public schools last year, 74 percent came from “economically disadvantaged” households, meaning that they qualified for free or reduced-price lunches and other assistance programs, according to data from the education department.

About 84,000 homeless students attended school in New York City during the 2013 school year, up 25 percent since 2010, according to the Institute for Children, Poverty and Homelessness. A majority of those students do not live in shelters, which means they often miss the benefits of backpack drives and other fund-raisers aimed at low-income families, said Linda Bazerjian, a spokeswoman for the group.

. . . 

The gap between rich and poor, private school and public school, can be evident in lists for school supplies, and who comes prepared. Mr. Schulist says that one of his school lists requires students to bring 100 pencils, which helps compensate for children whose families can afford no pencils at all.

Underfunded schools are a problem nationwide.   Think about what your school provides, and whether all children are able to come to school prepared to learn.  And whether the gap just gets bigger instead of smaller with each new school year.

Welcome Back to School

Its hard to believe that summer is almost over and MCPS starts school next week.

Teachers are already heading back to classrooms across the county to prepare for the first day of school

And parents - don't forget those checkbooks.

On this blog, we've posted many time about how school is supposed to be free in Maryland.

But what happens when public funding doesn't cover everything?

Westbrook ES has the answer. Since 1999, the Friends of Westbrook School Foundation, a 501(c)(3) entity, raises funds for school improvement that are not funded by MCPS or otherwise fall within the PTA guidelines.  From the website:

Past projects include a security system upgrade, technology equipment like computer lab, Promethean Boards and ELMO projectors, full suite of playground equipment, and overall grounds and drainage enhancement.

These folks seems to have so much fun.  Look at what they planned just in the last few months of school last year (names of hosts are deleted):

Yoga for Parents [-]	4		$25.00
Come join us on Sunday, March 29th from 2:50-4:30 pm at Simon Says Yoga located at 4611 Sangamore Road, Bethesda, MD 20816. This is the first of two events to help you get into the "ZEN ZONE" before Spring Break. Co-sponsors . . .  will be leading us in an hour of yoga at nearby Simon Says Yoga, followed by refreshing and healthful tea and light snacks. A big thank you to Simon Says Yoga for donating use of their studio: http://simonsaysyoga.com.
Manicures and Mojitos [-]	3		$30.00
Join us on Tuesday, March 31st from 5:30-8:00 pm at AquaNails located in the Shops at Sumner Place at 4701 Sangamore Road, Bethesda, MD 20816. This always-popular event could not come at a better time. Get your nails done while also enjoying some delicious mojitos and snacks with friends before Spring Break.
ZENGO Spinning Party [-]	4		$40.00
Join us on Saturday, April 18th at 2:00 PM at ZENGO Cycle located at 4866 Cordell Ave, Bethesda, MD 20814. This energy-fueled and inspirational event is always a blast. We will cycle hard for an hour and then enjoy some healthy snacks. If you have never tried spinning before, what better way to try than in a room filled with supportive friends? There is no shame and no judgment in the spinning studio! It is just like dancing until dawn in some awesome college bar. You will get hot and sweaty and listen to great tunes with your friends. Except you will feel so much better in the morning! Ticket price includes shoe rental. . Big thanks to ZENGO Cycle in Bethesda for donating use of their studio. Check out their class schedule at: http://www.zengocycle.com.
Kids Movie Night [-]	SOLD OUT		$20.00
It will be the kids turn on Friday, April 24th from 6:00-8:00 pm in the Westbrook All-Purpose Room. Kids are invited to hit the "Red Carpet" and enjoy a screening of BIG HERO 6 (popcorn included). Moviegoers will get some hands-on inventing time in our mini "Pop-up" maker space before and after the movie. Sponsored by the Friends of Westbrook Board and

PIG PONG [-]	SOLD OUT		$75.00
Don't miss Pig Pong on Saturday, May 16th at 6:00 pm at . . .  We are back…Pig Pong 2.0 but with more hosts and inviting more of you: 75 people at $75 person to celebrate Westbrook’s 75th year. We will once again serve up a delicious 80lb pig smoked on site all day long, in addition to smoked chicken, smoked brisket, grilled veggies, baked beans, homemade coleslaw and watermelon. Drinks menu includes kegs, wine, prosecco, tequila and whiskey and water. Along with live music from Timi Ryalls from Charlottesville and Harry Faulkner from D. C., there will be a Ping-Pong tournament. With 24 competitors last year, ending in an intense championship duel between our two finalists, we can only hope our defending champion will be back to defend his title. We will have a 4th table this year for warm-ups between matches! More prizes, more tables, more pong...what's not to love! .
Dads Pub Crawl [-]	7		$60.00
The tradition continues on Friday, May 29th. Detailed coordinates for the Dads Pub Crawl will be emailed to ticket holders ahead of the event. This is the event that started it all! The last weekend in May, we will be taking to the streets! On Friday night, Dads are invited to sample refreshing and delicious beer and snacks at three different stops throughout the neighborhood.
Moms Unwined [-]	25		$60.00
It will be time of mom to unwind and "unwhine" at Moms Unwined on Saturday, 5/30. Detailed coordinates will be emailed to ticket holders ahead of the event. These are the events that started it all! The last weekend in May, we will be taking to the streets! On Saturday night, it will be Mom’s turn to “unwine” at three different spots for wine, hors d’oeuvres and desserts.
Westbrook's Sweetheart Dance [-]	18		$20.00
The lovely tradition continues on Sunday, June 7th from 4:00-5:30 pm. Girls and their favorite sweethearts, whether they are dads, granddads, uncles or friends, are invited to a lovely Sunday afternoon dance. Delicious punch and desserts will be served. Please remember to purchase a ticket for each attendee.

  Smoked pig, mojitos, and Moms and Dads taking to the streets!

We can't wait to see what FOWS come up with this year!

Graduation Rip Off Continues as More MoCo Schools Shake Down Students for Money

Did you know that the Maryland State Constitution guarantees a free public education?

We've been telling you that for years.

Here is a list of fees for graduation. Its not a red zone/green zone thing - students across the county get ripped off.

Shame on Paint Branch HS - for years you were one of the schools with a smart administrator who followed the rules.  New principal?  Not so smart.

If your child attends one of the schools that charges a fee, ask your principal why you are getting charged when other schools seem to be able to hold the ceremony without taxing the students.

Better yet - ask for a refund.

Advice to the class of 2016 - Do not pay this fee.  You can't be charged to graduate from a MCPS public school.  Its illegal, plain and simple.

 Unfortunately, MCPS administrators think the rules don't apply to them.  What does this say about the example our school leadership sets for the next generation?

  2015 MCPS Graduation Fees

Paint Branch HS - our First Candidate for Graduation Fees and Educational Extortion

Paint Branch HS reports that they are being charged a fee for graduating from a MCPS High School.

Really?

Here is a link to the article.

Apparently, the students did not raise enough during their three years at the high school  Cancelled school events led to the Class of 2015 not having enough cash to provide "pomp" with their graduation festivities.

From the article:

Dr. Rogers shared that this fee was put in place this year because the class has not raised enough money over the past three years to cover graduation. All of those cancelled dances and PB Idol competitions that never quite happened could have been funding sources for senior events – including graduation

According to Dr. Rogers, students will have individual fundraising options to help defray or eliminate this $30 graduation fee. Dr. Rogers notes that she is “happy to do anything and everything that I possibly can to reduce costs for students.” She adds that “within a couple of weeks we are going to provide an option where students can individually fundraise to absolutely cover the cost of the graduation fee.” - See more at: http://pbmainstream.com/1820/features/senior-moments/#sthash.8LBDmbo4.dpuf

Sounds like educational extortion to me!

What's happening at your high school?

Deny Students a Free Public Education, Then Form Coalition to "Study" #hypocrites #mocoboe #mcpssuper

Merriam-Webster

Let's just start with #hypocrites on this one. 

The exact same people who are responsible for denying Montgomery County students a free public education are now forming a coalition to "study" the problem of an "unmistakable shortage of skilled workers."  As the Parents' Coalition has been investigating and publicizing since 2008, Montgomery County Public Schools and the Board of Education permit schools to charge random fees to students for attending public school classes.

As we have also documented repeatedly, the Maryland Constitution guarantees ALL children a free, public education.  Fees to attend public school classes violate that right and are not permitted in Maryland. 

In our 6 years of investigations of this issue, the most horrendous illegal curricular fees have always been found at Edison High School in Silver Spring, MCPS' only career and technical high school.  Enrollment at Edison High School has dropped year after year and parents have told the Parents' Coalition that they will not even consider the sending their child to Edison because of the class fees.  

Today, a new group is being announced to start an 18 month "study" of the "unmistakable shortage of skilled workers" in Montgomery County.  Included on the Press Release for this new group is Superintendent Joshua Starr, BOE member Shirley Brandman, former MCPS employee Steve Simon, and former MCCPTA Cluster Coordinator Gigi Godwin. 

Note that the Press Release from this group is from Steve Simon, former MCPS public relations employee who back in 2010 said:

MCPS' Steve Simon: "We absolutely are in conformance with state law. We are adamant that we are providing a free public education."

MCPS was not providing all students a free public education back in 2010 and they are still not today. The worst fees were, and still are, found at Edison High School.

Take a look at the Edison High School fees that the Parents' Coaliton exposed in 2008. Edison High School students were being charged curricular fees in 2008 and they are still being charged them today.

Do these fees look like students at Edison High School have been receiving a free public education?  
Do we need to state the obvious?  
If you block students from attending classes by imposing illegal fees is there any surprise that there is now a shortage of skilled workers?

2008-2009 Edison High School curricular fees.

Public School Curricular Fees are Illegal in Maryland

A parent and guardian guide to Maryland public school fees.

  Maryland Guide to Public School Fees by Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland

MCPS Windfall for Algebra 1B Failures: Summer Class Costs $300 Per Student!

The Parents' Coalition had already heard from MCPS parents that there was a serious problem with the Algebra 1B exam scores prior to today's announcement.  

The parents were being told that their child failed the MCPS semester exam for Algebra 1B and that in order to advance to the next level of math in the fall their student would have to re-take Algebra 1B in the summer.  

Here's the catch.  Summer school is NOT FREE!  MCPS charges students $300 per summer school class. 

Hundreds of Algebra 1B students are now being told to re-take the class over the summer in order to pass the MCPS semester exam.  Taking the class in the summer will cost each of those students $300.  

Somehow the MCPS Press Release and The Washington Post have been unable to cough up that important detail. 

Observer: AP Exams are too expensive

AP Exams are too expensive

...Along with the intense curriculum of multiple AP’s, students who take these classes are also basically required to take the expensive exam at the end of the year. Those who chose not to are required to take a purposely more difficult test created by the teacher. In this way, students feel even more pressure to spend their money on the College Board exam. 

Many CHS students work in order to pay for their daily expenses. At minimum wage, these earnings take a lot of effort. These students should not have to put their well-earned cash toward an exam that will likely not count towards college credit in the future. 

Along with AP exams, students are also bombarded by other costs imposed by the College Board. Students are pressured to pay to take the SAT or ACT multiple times in order to achieve a highly competitive score. Do not forget about SAT subject tests, which are becoming required by more and more schools. Each of these exams costs up to $50. Combined with the price of AP exams, the costs charged by the College Board can really add up and financially upset many families...

- See more at: http://www.thechurchillobserver.com/opinions/2014/02/28/ap-exams-are-too-expensive/#sthash.uoMFFshp.dpuf

The Parents Coalition Annual List of School Fees for 2012

Did you think that our new Superintendent of Schools, Josh Starr, would shake things up here in MoCo?   Did you think he might chart his own course?

Wrong. Looks like its more of the same old same old. Our students are still not getting their constitutionally guaranteed free education again this year.

Here is the annual back to school fees list for high school students.
2012 Highschool Fees

And here is the back to school fee list for middle school students.
2012 Middle School Fees

Are the lists accurate? Readers will need to report back whether they were charged additional fees not on the list.


So - what is a parent to do, other than try to transfer their students into schools that charge less than others?

Ask for a waiver. Students are not supposed to be denied educational opportunities based on whether a fee is paid. If you do choose to pay a fee, consider it a donation.


Want to compare to last year's lists? Try here for high school and here for middle school.

Note to Emily and Mitch Rales - when you look over the lists, you will see that the majority of the fees are charged in the arts related classes. If you (or any other business person in MoCo) would like to help out students, perhaps you could adopt a school or a class on the list, and save Josh and his staff from having to beg for the payments.

MCPS Music Classes are Pay to Play?

Even though public school in Maryland is free under the Constitution, look what is being used to get people to buy tickets to a concert:  

...Remember when you wanted to learn to play rock and roll, but only were offered trumpet, clarinet, or violin? Today, rock and roll classes are everywhere! But if you want to play, you have to pay.
Rock-in Schools is a group of Montgomery County Public School music teachers promoting free access to a complete music education for all students...to include both traditional and contemporary genres...

Who is forcing students to "pay to play" in music classes in Montgomery County Public Schools?