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

Jury Retrial Set for 9 Days in April for Former Cloverly ES Teacher John Vigna

 Trial - Jury 04/22/2024

09:30:00 Chernosky, Theresa ; Calendar Judge 5, CR

Criminal Courtroom 9C - North Tower

Former Northwood High Track Coach Sentenced for Sexual Abuse of a Minor

Giovanni Reumante, 34, of Takoma Park, was sentenced to one year in prison followed by three years of supervised probation after he pleaded guilty to sex abuse of one of his athletes when she was a minor.

Reumante, who was sentenced Wednesday, will be a registered sex offender for life.

He waived two years of credit for time that he has served in prison. He pled guilty in November of 2022.

Reumante was a track and field coach at Northwood High School for several years, beginning in 2013. He also was a paraeducator at the school. According to court documents, the victim was one of his athletes before 2014 to 2017...

https://www.mymcmedia.org/former-northwood-high-track-coach-sentenced-for-sexual-abuse-of-a-minor/

Lawsuit Filed Against Board of Education and former MCPS Bus Driver Etienne Kabongo

Click here for case information: MCPS Special Education driver found guilty of sexually abusing and raping MCPS students on school bus.  

Civil suit now filed in this matter:  

Court System:	Circuit Court For Montgomery County - Civil
Location:	Montgomery Circuit Court
Case Number:	C-15-CV-23-004648
Title:	Mother Doe vs. Board of Education of Montgomery County, et al.
Case Type:	Tort - Negligence
Filing Date:	12/14/2023
Case Status:	Open

Report: MCPS Should Strengthen Romantic Relationship Disclosure Requirements

A report by the Montgomery County Inspector General’s office declared allegations of misconduct by senior Montgomery County Public School officials “unsubstantiated.”

However, the report that was released Wednesday did note that there were “opportunities for improvement regarding the disclosure of romantic or sexual relationships between staff, as well as requirements that MCPS staff cooperate with investigations.”..

https://www.mymcmedia.org/report-mcps-should-strengthen-romantic-relationship-disclosure-requirements/

MoCo IG Unable to Investigate @mcps. MCPS [former] Chief of Staff Turned Complaint over to IG. Chief of Staff now replaced.

 

https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/OIG/Resources/Files/PDF/IGActivity/FY2024/OIG-MOI-MCPS-SeniorOfficials.pdf

Former Montgomery Co. teacher facing new child sexual abuse charge after previous conviction vacated

SILVER SPRING, Md. - A hearing is scheduled Tuesday for a former Montgomery County Public Schools teacher who is facing a new charge of sexual abuse involving the inappropriate touching of a student.

In 2017, John Vigna was sentenced to 48 years behind bars after being convicted of child sexual abuse charges. He was 50 years old at the time.

In 2022, Vigna retained a new attorney and filed for post-conviction relief, claiming ineffective assistance of counsel - essentially, he believed his attorney made mistakes that could have resulted in a different outcome.

After months of hearings from November 2022 to March 2023, Circuit Court Judge David Lease agreed with the ineffective assistance of counsel and vacated Vigna's conviction...

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/former-montgomery-co-teacher-facing-new-child-sexual-abuse-charge-after-previous-conviction-vacated

***BREAKING: New Charges filed on former MCPS Cloverly Elementary School Teacher John Vigna

Please see our previous extensive coverage of the arrest, conviction, vacated conviction, and re-trial of former MCPS elementary school teacher John Vigna. Recall that Mr. Vigna was never fired by the Montgomery County Board of Education and his teaching license was never revoked.  He was allowed to retire and voluntarily surrender his teaching license. His original conviction was vacated and he was released from prison.  A new trial on those charges has been scheduled for 2024.  Now additional charges have been filed against Mr. Vigna.  

New charges were filed against Mr. Vigna on November 30, 2023.

From Maryland Judiciary Case Search: 

Circuit Court For Montgomery County - Criminal

Location: Montgomery Circuit Court

Case Number: C-15-CR-23-001418

Title: State of Maryland vs. JOHN VIGNA

Case Type: Criminal Indictment

Filing Date: 11/30/2023

Case Status: Open

 

After Alleged Assault, Twinbrook Elementary Staff Meets with Parents

Last week the administration at Rockville’s Twinbrook Elementary School became aware of an alleged sexual assault on school grounds. The incident happened during recess and involved two students at the school.

Monday morning, a group of parents and administrators gathered to learn about school safety in the wake of the allegation made last week. This was the second Parent Coffee held for this purpose, the first occurring last Friday.

A group of about 20 people were present with an equal mix of school administrators and parents. According to a participant who was at both meetings the parent turnout was about the same on Friday. Attendees signed in and an agenda was distributed. They outlined how to report an incident, safety measures at the school and asked parents to complete an evaluation form...

After Alleged Assault, Twinbrook Elementary Staff Meets with Parents - Montgomery Community Media (mymcmedia.org)

AFTER parent uses NextDoor to notify Twinbrook Elementary School community of sexual abuse on playground allegation, Twinbrook ES Principal puts out letter to Twinbrook Community.

 NextDoor posting at this link. 

Here's the letter that was sent by the Twinbrook ES principal after the NextDoor posting. 

What did @mcps @mocoboe know and when did they know it? Former MCPS Middle School Teacher Charged With Sexual Abuse of a Student [Joshua Starr was Superintendent]

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, November 7, 2023

Gaithersburg, MD - A former Montgomery County teacher has been arrested and charged with multiple sexual offenses for engaging in sexual acts with a minor. Detectives believe there may be additional victims.

On Thursday, October 5, 2023, the Montgomery County Department of Police - Special Victims Investigations Division (SVID) initiated an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse by an adult male victim. The victim alleges that he had engaged in sexual acts with 31-year-old Melissa Marie Curtis of Upper Marlboro, when he was a minor.

The alleged abuse began in 2015 when Curtis was 22-years-old. The incidents continued for several months while the victim was a student at Montgomery Village Middle School, and Curtis was a teacher at the same school. All of the incidents took place within Montgomery County.

A warrant for Melissa Curtis's arrest was obtained on Tuesday, October 31, charging her with sexual abuse of a minor and multiple counts of third and fourth-degree sexual offenses.

Curtis had been a teacher for approximately two years in Montgomery County and taught at Lakelands Park Middle School as well.

SVID detectives suspect that there may be additional victims and would like to speak with them. Detectives encourage potential victims to call 240-773-5400.

Curtis turned herself in on Tuesday, November 7, and is currently awaiting a bond hearing.

Montgomery County Maryland (montgomerycountymd.gov)

John Vigna v. State of Maryland: Statement of Reasons for Vacating Convictions and Granting New Trial

2023 State v. Vigna Stateme... by Parents' Coalition of Montg...

Detectives with the Montgomery County Department of Police – Special Victims Investigations Division are asking any other potential victims to come forward and urge them to call 240-773-5050.

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/new-trial-date-set-for-former-montgomery-county-elementary-school-teacher-accused-of-sexually-abusing-students

Montgomery County police ask potential victims to come forward in sex abuse case

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) — A former teacher whom a jury convicted for the sexual abuse of children and later had his prison sentence vacated faces accusations from other people.

A hearing regarding the re-trial of John Vigna, who taught at Cloverly Elementary School, took place Friday. At the hearing, prosecutors said new claims of abuse by Vigna surfaced.

Montgomery County Public Schools placed Vigna on leave in February 2016 after accusations were made that he touched a student inappropriately.

Montgomery County police ask potential victims to come forward in sex abuse case | DC News Now

Only 2 Montgomery council members ask county, state to handle MCPS inquest

 

Two members said that government inspectors general, not a law firm the school district hired, should investigate its handling of allegations against Principal Joel Beidleman

Two Montgomery County Council members requested Monday that state and county watchdogs investigate the county school system’s handling of reported allegations of sexual harassment, bullying and retaliation by former Farquhar Middle School principal Joel Beidleman...

https://wapo.st/3skifXZ

Chair of County Council Education Committee Took $3,900 Campaign Donation from Firm McKnight Hired to Run "Independent" Investigation of Beidleman Allegations @mcps @mococouncil @mocoboe

 Jawando Takes Money from Anti-Union Law Firm - Montgomery Perspective

Teachers Union Opposes Law Firm Chosen by MCPS for Investigation

Montgomery County Education Association called the law firm that Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) hired to investigate claims of abuse and harassment concerning Paint Branch High’s former principal “anti-worker,” noting it “has assisted organizations overcome sexual harassment claims in the past.”..

...As of August 4, MCPS placed Beidleman on “extended leave” and initiated an independent external investigation into the claims. In June, Beidleman had been promoted to principal of Paint Branch with a 20% raise in salary...

Teachers Union Opposes Law Firm Chosen by MCPS for Investigation - Montgomery Community Media (mymcmedia.org)

Hearings planned over MCPS principal's alleged harassment, bullying

 Hearings planned over MCPS principal's alleged harassment, bullying (fox5dc.com)

MCPS facing scrutiny for hiring familiar law firm to investigate a principal's sexual harassment allegations

MCPS facing scrutiny for hiring familiar law firm to investigate a principal's sexual harassment allegations

ROCKVILLE, Md. - Montgomery County’s school board is facing heavy criticism for its decision to hire its own private law firm to investigate a principal who’s been accused of sexual harassment and bullying. 

County Executive Marc Elrich spoke out Tuesday about the school board getting to choose who investigates them. MCPS has hired a Baltimore law firm that’s represented them before, and for both Elrich and parents, that’s raising major concerns about whether the probe will be truly independent...

MCPS facing scrutiny for hiring familiar law firm to investigate a principal's sexual harassment allegations (fox5dc.com)

Beidleman Moved to New Position with MCPS Office of Human Resources and Development

 

Staff Directory - Montgomery County Public Schools, Rockville, MD (montgomeryschoolsmd.org)

Blog posts about MCPS Principal Joel Beidleman.