Elrich on MCPS Legal Settlement: ‘They Had Warning Signs For Years’

The Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) paid $300,000 to an unnamed teacher who claimed she was harassed by former Paint Branch High School Principal Joel Beidleman.

Beidleman no longer works at MCPS. He was accused of bullying and sexual harassment by multiple MCPS employees prior to being promoted from principal at Farquhar Middle School to Paint Branch High School. This was first reported in the Washington Post.

Besides the $300,000 settlement, MCPS paid $78,462.32 in legal fees to Karpinski, Cornbrooks and Karp of Baltimore and $68,369.64 in legal fees to Miller, Miller and Canby of Rockville. Another $1,188.80 was spent for transcripts of court recordings...

Elrich on MCPS Legal Settlement: 'They Had Warning Signs For Years' - Montgomery Community Media (mymcmedia.org)

2022-- CBS Report on Handcuffs in Hallways: Mother of handcuffed 5-year-old speaks as WJZ looks at child arrests in Maryland schools. [$275,000 Settlement]

The Montgomery County case recently settled and dates to January 2020. 

The release of body-camera video led to nationwide outrage. 

That video begins with officers encountering the child hiding by a car after teachers said he had a tantrum in the classroom and ran out of his elementary school in Silver Spring.

They placed him in the police cruiser and brought him back.

The video, more than 50 minutes long, shows an officer screaming at the crying child and another officer grabbing him and calling him names.

One officer said to "crate him" and he was acting "like a little beast."

Another officer said, "We need to have a conversation with his mom. This is like a little Chucky doll."..

..."We counted 19 times where one or both police officers threatened a beatIng in some manner of the child or suggested that he should be beaten. 19 times in front of him during the entire 51-minute video," Papirmeister said...

...You can access Maryland's student arrest data here...

"The Office of the County Attorney for Montgomery County, Maryland has announced the settlement of the lawsuit involving the Jan. 14, 2020 incident at East Silver Spring Elementary School. The parties settled all claims arising from the incident. The family received a total of $275,000 from the County's Self-Insurance Fund. Of that total, $220,000 was paid on behalf of Officers Dionne Holiday and Kevin Christmon and $55,000 was paid on behalf of the Board of Education for Montgomery County.  Pursuant to the "Release and Settlement of Claim" agreement, the parties released each other from all claims with no admission of liability with the lawsuit to be dismissed with prejudice.

Handcuffs in Hallways: Mother of handcuffed 5-year-old speaks as WJZ looks at child arrests in Maryland schools - CBS Baltimore (cbsnews.com)

When will victims of sexual abuse by @mcps staff get their chance to be heard by the Board of Education? @mocoboe

Survivors of abuse address archbishop of Baltimore in bankruptcy court | NBC4 Washington

Former Gaithersburg High School wrestler awarded $4 million in damages in sexual assault case

...Montgomery Parents Coalition leader Janis Zink Sartucci told FOX 5 that, once again, Montgomery County school officials refuse to speak out on the case.

"We have one very clear pattern here in Montgomery County, and that clear pattern is of the adults in charge hiding," he said. "We don’t see them speaking about these cases. We don’t see them standing up for victims. We don’t see them supporting the victims in any way, shape or form."

FOX 5 reached out to Montgomery County Public Schools and received no reply...

 Former Gaithersburg High School wrestler awarded $4 million in damages in sexual assault case (fox5dc.com)

$55,000 Settlement on behalf of Board of Education reached over police encounter with 5-year-old who left elementary school in Silver Spring

...The settlement money will be paid out from county’s Self-Insurance Fund. Of the $275,000, $220,000 is being paid on behalf of the officers involved in the incident, Officers Dionne Holiday and Kevin Christmon, while the other $55,000 is being paid on behalf of the Board of Education...

Settlement reached over police encounter with 5-year-old who left elementary school in Silver Spring (fox5dc.com)

Anne Arundel Co. reaches $2.5M settlement with family of teen who died after eating glove

The parents of an autistic 17-year-old who choked on a glove at school have reached a $2.5 million dollar settlement with the school system in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.

Bowen Levy’s parents filed a federal suit against the school system last year, saying its negligence is responsible for their son’s November 2019 death. The family said Bowen had a compulsive condition that caused him to swallow and eat nonfood items.

“Bowen’s death has had an enormous impact on many, but nowhere has that impact been more massive than on his beloved family. We recognize that nothing that occurs from here forward will ever fill the void in their lives,” AACPS said in a statement...

https://wtop.com/anne-arundel-county/2022/05/anne-arundel-co-reaches-2-5m-settlement-with-family-of-teen-who-died-after-eating-glove/?fbclid=IwAR1UWJMDvUeLuGmnHdciG3U6glekqHodrdlbOubbtsWOLB-sYhxh2IfzVpg

Baltimore City set to OK $345,000 settlement after football player's death [artificial turf]

BALTIMORE (WBFF) — The City of Baltimore is expected to reach a settlement with the family of a Mergenthaler High School football player who died after he was seriously injured in a game.

During a football against Dunbar High School on Sept. 18, 2021, senior Elijah Gorham was attempting to catch a pass in the endzone when he fell head-first onto the field. A Dunbar player who also trying to catch the pass landed on top of Gorham. The game was played at Baltimore Polytechnic High School's football field...

https://foxbaltimore.com/news/local/baltimore-city-set-to-ok-345000-settlement-after-football-players-death?fbclid=IwAR0xWkYGnd6jish8Uy31K_GjkmQ6m0PiB9qBcczs4p6Z3cX5O13gTNUwWKU

Florida: Parkland school massacre victims reach $25 mln settlement with district

Oct 19 (Reuters) - Families of the victims of the 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Florida, have reached a $25 million settlement with the Broward County school district, according to media reports.

The agreement resolves 52 of 53 lawsuits filed by families against the district for negligence in the wake of the Valentine's Day shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported, citing David Brill, an attorney for the families...

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/parkland-school-massacre-victims-reach-25-mln-settlement-with-district-media-2021-10-20/

State set to settle with Jordan McNair’s family for $3.5M #artificialturf

...The settlement between the University of Maryland, College Park, and the family of Jordan McNair is believed to be one of the largest college athletics-related settlements in the state.

McNair, a Baltimore County resident, was 19 when he collapsed while participating in spring drills with the Terps football team. He was hospitalized and died two weeks later...

https://thedailyrecord.com/2021/01/15/state-set-to-settle-with-jordan-mcnairs-family-for-3-5m/

school board to pay over $3M to students molested by teacher -- 12 years later

BOCA RATON, Fla. (CBS12) — The Palm Beach County school board is about to pay four students more than $3.5-million 12 years after they claimed their teacher molested them inside Coral Sunset Elementary School.

Four girls, who were third graders at the time, said their teacher Blake Sinrod inappropriately touched them.

One of the victims told police at the time that Sinrod put his hands on her private parts and placed her hand on his...

...Now over a decade later, the school board is set to vote to settle the lawsuit for millions.

Court documents from February show the school board deployed a defense it claims to use often, known as comparative negligence.

Writing in court filings indicate the “plaintiffs were old enough to appreciate the consequences of their own actions and to be held accountable for them.” It went on to say that the “plaintiffs conducted themselves in a careless and negligent manner and such negligence was a contributing and or the sole proximate cause of their injuries and damages.”...

http://cbs12.com/news/local/pbc-school-board-to-pay-over-3m-to-students-molested-by-teacher-12-years-later

Charles County BOE discloses settlement amount

The Charles County Board of Education paid $225,000 in settlement of a former office assistant’s claim that the board transferred, demoted and left her no choice but to quit after she complained of being groped and sexually harassed by her boss.
The settlement with Stephanie Rosa was reported Dec. 17 but the school system declined to disclose the amount at the time. The Daily Record filed a request for the amount under the Maryland Public Information Act, citing the use of public funds, and counsel for the school system responded by email dated Jan. 17.
The school board admitted no wrongdoing in agreeing to the settlement, which also covers Rosa’s claims against her former boss, Patrick A. Tague. Rosa agreed to be ineligible for future employment with the board under the settlement.

 http://thedailyrecord.com/2014/01/23/charles-county-discloses-settlement-amount/