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/

Mont. Co. Board of Ed. Keeps "Equity" Alive at Kennedy HS with Exorbitant $143.50 Mandatory Graduation Fee! "All means all" except at Kennedy High School in Silver Spring.

The "historic" Montgomery County Board of Education is keeping alive the male tradition of ripping off students in Silver Spring.  The all woman Board of Education has continued the illegal practice of allowing local high school principals to set ANY mandatory fee for seniors to attend their own FREE public high school graduation.  As in past years, Kennedy High School in Silver Spring tops the list of fees by charging seniors $143.50 to attend their own free public high school graduation.  If students don't pay, they can't attend their own graduation.

The great women "leaders" on the Board of Education are fine with this and sit back in their brand new leather swivel chairs and claim to be interested in equity.

But actions speak louder than words and this all women Board of Education is no different than the male dominated Boards of Education in the past.  This Board of Education is fine with students at Kennedy High School paying $143.50 to attend their own graduation while students at Poolesville High School pay $27.50.  

As a reminder, senior dues and graduation fees do not exist in Montgomery County or in Maryland. No such fees have ever been authorized by the Maryland legislature or the Montgomery County Board of Education.  The illegal graduation fees found in MCPS are set by the local principal and often include a slush fund for expenses not detailed in any publicly available documents.

Here is what 2019 MCPS Seniors are being forced to pay to attend their own MCPS free public school graduations.  If the fees were legal, they would be authorized by a governing body, in compliance with the Maryland Constitutions guarantee of a free public education, and uniform across all high schools.

MCPS Graduation Costs Slashed

The cost of holding MCPS graduation ceremonies has dropped dramatically since 2007.

In 2007, MCPS' rental fee for DAR Constitution Hall was $5,700 per school, and the UMD Comcast Center rental was $34,000 per school.

As of 2017, both of those rental fees have dropped.

DAR Constitution Hall is down to $2,963.72 per school.

UMD Xfinity Center is down to $10,000 per school.

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 

...today in MCPS, it is almost impossible not to graduate.

Weak standards inflate graduation rate success

Whitman Principal Wants $24,050 Cash for Slush Fund

From Whitman High School today we learn that Whitman Principal Alan Goodwin wants $24,050 to put in his school slush fund.  

What is the money for? We have no idea.  Mr. Goodwin is using graduation to extort these funds from students.  In MCPS graduation is a free event.  Graduation is funded by the Board of Education as part of the MCPS Operating Budget.  But, if parents and guardians want to throw an extra $50 bucks at Alan Goodwin, then be our guest.
 
Just know that there is no $50 "fee" for graduation and that punishing students for not paying this illegal fee is bullying and extortion.

The Board of Education and MCPS are teaching students a very important lesson about how public institutions can use their power to bully citizens and extort funds. We can expect this type of behavior to continue in Montgomery County for generations to come as our public school system trains each generation how to bully and extort from children.

From Whitman High School - January 13, 2015:

PLEASE SHARE THE MORNING ANNOUNCEMENTS WITH YOUR STUDENT(S)

Gardiner
A reminder to all seniors - It's time to get your senior dues in.  Dues are $50.00 and both cash/checks are acceptable with checks made out to WWHS.
This covers the cost of caps/gowns, tickets and programs.  It is now considered an obligation if dues have not been paid, which means that students cannot apply for parking second semester.  In addition, prom tickets/picnic tickets will not be able to be purchased until dues have been paid.  Please bring your payment to Mrs. Gardiner in the main office.

Posted by Donna Gardiner

Second Candidate for Graduation Fee Extortion - Montgomery Blair HS

Montgomery Blair HS in Silver Spring MD charges its students to walk down the aisle and receive their diploma.

Really.

Here is the information sheet, straight off the school website:

Senior Info Sheet 2015[1]

In 2010, when my child graduated from Blair, the fee was a bit higher - but the fee covered items such as the senior picnic, the honorarium for the speaker, and other"graduation venue related costs."

The bus fee is another example of extortion.  Parents and families have to travel to the graduation venue, why make the kids pay for a bus?  Metro is cheaper.  Most of the students leave the venue directly to continue the celebration with their families - so they essentially are subsidizing transportation without receiving a benefit.  And what about those magnet families that don't live in the area?

Great job, Mrs. Johnson.  At least you aren't collecting fees this year for a graduation speaker!