Senator Bobby Zirkin says just 6 people will decide if Maryland children deserve protection from coach/volunteer sexual predators

The Maryland House unanimously voted to protect children from sexual predators when they are Persons in Positions of Authority as in teachers (part-time and full time) coaches, volunteers and recreational program staff.  But, Senator Zirkin and other Senators wouldn't agree to provide that protection to children and the proposed legislation is now headed to a Conference Committee on Monday, April 7th.  Monday is the very last day of the 2014 legislative session, and the very last day for Maryland children to obtain protection from sexual predators.  

Senator Zirkin says just 6 people will not decide the fate of Maryland children. Those 6 people will make this decision without the public watching.  What will happen in the Conference Committee on Monday? 

Are Senator Jamie Raskin and Senator Brian Frosh (running for MD Atty Gen) lobbying this committee for a strong bill, or have they washed their hands of this legislation?

...sexually explicit videos and images of children are often traded anonymously through online forums...

The FBI is asking for the public’s help to stop a child predator.  They say the man they're looking for is known only as John Doe 28, and video found online shows him engaging in sexually-explicit activities with a young boy.  

Read more: http://www.myfoxdc.com/story/25145595/fbi-asks-for-help-identifying-child-predator#ixzz2y6cMvTfY 

After you read this article, then read about the same thing happening to MCPS students in MCPS classrooms.  What has Superinendent Joshua Starr, the Board of Education, the County Council or the County Executive done to address the sexual abuse of MCPS students in their classrooms?   

Performance of Montgomery County Public Schools' High Schools - A FY 2014 Update

MEMORANDUM
April 4, 2014
TO: County Council
FROM: Elaine Bonner-Tompkins, Senior Legislative Analyst
Office of Legislative Oversight
~
SUBJECT: OLO Report 2014-7, Performance of Montgomery County Public
Schools' High Schools - A FY 2014 Update

The Council's agenda for April 8, 2014 includes the receipt and release of the Office of Legislative Oversight (OLO) report 2014-7. The purpose of this report is to improve the Council's understanding of changes in the demographics and performance of MCPS' high schools. Councilmembers received the report under separate cover.

After the report is released, members of the public can pick-up copies of OLO Report 2014-7 in Legislative Information Services on April 8, 2014. The report will also be available online at http://www.montgomerycountvmd.gov/olo/reports/2008.html .
An ED[ucation] Committee worksession on OLO Report 2014-7 will be scheduled for June or July 2014.

Guest Post: A 24 year- old volunteer basketball coach molested an adolescent after she took a position of a volunteer high school basketball coach in Montgomery County

We are concerned and disappointed that the Judicial Proceedings Committee, under the leadership of Senator Frosh, has refused to concur with House Judiciary's version of SB 460, Criminal Law -Person in Position - Sexual Offenses.  This means that protections for children will necessarily be weakened since the foremost opponent of the bill, Senator Bobby Zirkin, a defense attorney, has been assigned to be the chairman of the conference committee by Senator Frosh.  The other two Senate conferees are Senator Brochin who has previously supported Senator Zirkin's amendments last year regarding a similar bill and Senator Shank. 

Nevertheless, Senator Raskin predicted in the Gazette that a strong consensus for the bill will emerge from the conference committee.  However, a strong consensus is not the same as a strong bill for children and their parents.  Last session, Senator Zirkin,  sponsored an amendment on a similar bill that would have exempted part-time employees convicted of engaging in sexual contact, sexual act, or vaginal intercourse with students from the sex offender registry. He also sponsored an amendment requiring an eight year gap in age between victim and perpetrator  before a prosecution involving a position of trust could commence, and he created a new defense for perpetrators which had never before been in current law.  It is important for parents and others concerned with the safety of minors to let Senator Zirkin know that parents find these dangerous amendments unacceptable even in light of his threat to kill this important child protection measure.

Not only should we be alert to detrimental amendments that could be added to the bill at the last minute without a hearing on their merits, but parents should tell Senators Frosh, Zikin, Brochin  and Shank that they do not want them to reject reasonable and necessary  protections for children that have already passed the House Judiciary Committee unanimously.

Sports or recreational facilities, or programs are  magnets for sex offenders whether or not they obtain their positions of trust supervising youth as volunteers or paid employees. Access to children is what counts.   For example, a 24 year- old volunteer basketball coach molested an adolescent after she took a position of a volunteer high school basketball coach in Montgomery County.  Therefore,  volunteers should not be stripped from the bill.  Nor should individuals under contract with sports and recreation programs and schools.

Also in jeopardy is a provision which allows prosecutors to charge both child sexual abuse, a felony, and a violation of the position of authority statute, a misdemeanor. If that provision is deleted, a child molester who is a educator could not be charged with child sexual abuse, which occurs on campus, if, at the same time, the teacher was charged for engaging in the same behavior with the same child off- campus off- time. This is only one of many unfair protections in current law which need to finally be eliminated.

As one national expert on sexual abuse/assaults in institutions which serve children stated, there is a clear empathy gap in certain individuals when it comes to protecting child and adolescent victims of sexual assault/sexual abuse.  This empathy gap still obstructs humane legislation  in the 21st Century.

How many Sandusky scandals among others does it take to make certain legislators understand that certain coaches can pose serious threats to children that must not be ignored? The focus of public officials should be on welfare of vulnerable children and adolescents and holding accountable adults in positions of public trust who use them for their own sexual gratification.

Of course, the conferees could take a progressive step by raising the current penalty from imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or a fine not exceeding $1000 or both to the penalty that was originally drafted in the bill. That  penalty called for imprisonment not exceeding 5 years or a fine not exceeding $1000.  It is hard to believe that this extremely modest penalty for what is in actuality child sexual abuse by a person in a position of public trust was rejected.  Egregious crimes should not be minimized by such disproportionate sentences.

We therefore need to immediately ask legislators on the conference committee and their respective chairmen to place children's interests first and foremost in their deliberations. That would be the right thing to do.  Killing the bill or weakening it any more would not be actions that are admirable or just.  If they weaken the bill or kill it we want to know why.


~Concerned Maryland Parents

And in this corner, standing up to protect children from sexual abuse...

The Maryland House of Delegates has refused to recede.

That is, they won't back down from the bill they passed to protect children from sexual abuse by teachers, part-time teachers, contract employees, coaches and recreational program staff.

The House has appointed their 3 representatives to the Conference Committee that will decide what happens to this bill.

For the House, Delegates Dumais, Arora and Hough have been appointed to the Conference Committee on this legislation.  (Dumais and Arora are from Montgomery County)

Will Maryland children win or lose when the Committee meets?

House	4/5/2014	3/29/2014	House Refuses to Recede	65
			Conference Committee Appointed	65
			Delegates Dumais, Arora, and Hough	65

Breaking: Sen Frosh Tells Senate to Reject House Bill to Protect Children from Sexual Abuse by Coaches, Volunteers...

Earlier today Senator Brian Frosh presented Senator Raskin's Bill 460 to the full Maryland Senate and told them to REJECT the House version!

The House version includes part-time teachers under the bill and adds in coaches and volunteers.  The House wants to protect children from as many Persons in Positions of Authority as possible.

Why is Senator Frosh telling the Senate to REJECT maximum protection for children?

Listen for yourself to Senator Frosh (yes, the same one running for Maryland Attorney General).

Here is the audio from this mornings Maryland Senate session where Senator Brian Frosh presents Senator Raskin's Bill 460 and tells the full Senate to reject the House version.

MD Senate Refuses to Agree with House Protections for Children! Raskin's bill now goes to a "conference".

Well, here we are on Friday afternoon, April 4th.  The Maryland General Assembly ends this year's session on Monday at midnight. This afternoon we find out that the Maryland Senate is not willing to protect children from Persons in Positions of Authority with the same protections unanimously approved by the Maryland House.  

The Maryland Senate wants the House to back down from their position.  As the Senate refuses to agree with the House version of the bill, the bill now goes to a conference committee. 

Representing the Maryland Senate on the Conference Committee for this bill will be Senators Zirkin, Brochin and Shank.

As soon as we know the players for the House, we will let you know! 



Senate Refuses to Concur - House Amendments 60
Senate Requests House Recede 60
Conference Committee Appointed 60
Senators Zirkin, Brochin, and Shank 60

Updates here: http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=sponpage&tab=subject3&id=Zirkin&stab=01&ys=2014rs

Why are these people smiling? They are spending your money on a Junket to New Orleans!

BOE Staffer Roland Ikhide, Student Board of Education
member Justin Kim, and BOE member Rebecca Smondrowski

Justin Kim ‏@mocosmob  24m

Necessary selfie before our plane departure to New Orleans for the NSBA convention w @ikhide @RebeccaOnBoard pic.twitter.com/pAWYTfLG41

From Twitter we learn that today members of the Board of Education and their STAFF are on are a plane to New Orleans for a junket.  

The junket is the National School Boards Association (NSBA) convention where MCPS Board members and STAFF can meet Earvin "Magic" Johnson! 

No, that's not what you are supposed to think! You are supposed to think that this "conference" has some sort of higher meaning to the job of the elected Board of Education members and their STAFF.  (Staff needs to go, because why? We are 100% sure Staff have been on these trips many, many times before.  What purpose does it serve to continually send them on junkets?)  

The Student member of the BOE will be off the BOE in a few short weeks when his term ends.  Student members need to go on these trips because, why?

Add up the plane fare, registration fees, hotel, meals, limos to airport etc... times the total number of participants and you have the cost of this junket to students and classrooms.  

Teachers,  are you still using your own money to buy classroom supplies?  Don't complain about it! Your union prefers to fund junkets over classrooms. 

Maryland has three days left...to...close a loophole for sexual conduct with students

ANNAPOLIS — Maryland has three days left in its legislative session and as the state works to wrap up its budget, pass a minimum wage and medical marijuana and close a loophole for sexual conduct with students...

Coaches and part-time teachers
Sen. Jamie B. Raskin is confident a committee of conferees can iron out differences in bills that seek to further restrict adults from having sexual conduct with students.
Raskin (D-Dist. 20) of Takoma Park said his bill is headed for conference committee and he is confident members can reach a consensus before the session ends.
“I’m very optimistic we can come out with a strong consensus,” he said. “I think that after more than a decade of trying this will be the year.”
Maryland law criminalizes sexual contact between certain people who are considered to be in a “position of authority” and minors in their care. But the law is limited to principals, vice principals, teachers and school counselors, and it only applies to individuals who are full-time, permanent employees. It does not apply to part-time employees and coaches, substitute teachers or volunteers.
A 2012 case in Montgomery County illustrated the limit of the current law. A 47-year-old teacher and coach who was accused of having sex with a 16-year-old former student couldn’t be prosecuted because he was a part-time employee.

General Assembly heads into final days

Shemer Sentencing Set for June 6th at 9:30 AM

Richard Brian Shemer

(Schedule is subject to change)

Event Date:	06/06/2014 Event Time: 09:30 AM Judge: BOYNTON, DAVID A
Location:	50 Maryland Avenue North Tower Courtroom 8a Courtroom: 8A
Description:	SENTENCING

Hoover MS Staff $1,000 Fine and PBJ Disposition

Click here for previous posts on this incident:

Josh Andrew Greenberg Charge No:

001Description:PRIV PL - PRURIENT INTENT

Statute:	CR.3.902.(c)Description:PRIV PL - PRURIENT INTENT
Amended Date:	CJIS Code:1 0716MO/PLL:Probable Cause:X

Incident Date From:

11/06/2013

To:

11/06/2013

Victim Age:

Disposition

Plea:	GUILTY
Disposition:	PBJ SUPERVISEDDisposition Date:03/17/2014
	Fine:$1,000.00Court Costs:$22.50CICF:$35.00
Amt Suspended:	Fine:$500.00Court Costs:$0.00CICF:$0.00
PBJ EndDate:	03/17/2017

----------------------

Probation Before Judgment (PBJ) -- A conditional avoidance of imposition of sentence after conviction; failure to satisfy the terms and conditions may cause imposition of sentence after a finding of violation of probation.

MCPS Substitute Daniel Sirotkin Trial Date

Daniel Mandel Sirotkin Court Scheduling Information

Trial Date:

04/25/2014Trial Time:08:30 AMRoom:411

Trial Type:

Trial Location:191 EAST JEFFERSON ST ROCKVILLE 20850-2325


Remaining charges for trial: 

Charge No:

006Description:SEX OFF 4TH DEG-SEX CONTACT

Statute:	CR.3.308Description:SEX OFFENSE FOURTH DEGREE
Amended Date:	CJIS Code:4 3600MO/PLL:Probable Cause:

Incident Date From:

06/01/2011

To:

06/01/2011

Victim Age:

---

Charge No:

007Description:ASSAULT-SEC DEGREE

Statute:	CR.3.203Description:ASSAULT-SEC DEGREE
Amended Date:	CJIS Code:1 1415MO/PLL:Probable Cause:

Incident Date From:

06/01/2011

To:

06/01/2011

Victim Age:

April 3rd: Cybercivility Task force meetings are open to the public

The new Cybercivility Task Force will meet for the first time to help MCPS develop strategies, identify resources and develop tools for schools, parents and community members that encourage conversations about cybercivility.  

The task force consists of 40 students, parents, staff and community members. Its members represent a wide range of expertise and interests and reflect the diversity of the MCPS community. MCPS received more than 220 applications. 

The first meeting will take place on Thursday, April 3, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the media center of Richard Montgomery High School. The task force meetings are open to the public and regular updates will be posted on the Cybercivility webpage. 

Montgomery schools get nod on new snow waiver request

http://www.gazette.net/article/20140402/NEWS/140409686/1022/montgomery-schools-get-nod-on-new-snow-waiver-request&template=gazette

Part of plan may include changing Easter Monday from a holiday to an instructional day

http://www.gazette.net/article/20140331/NEWS/140339962/1022/montgomery-schools-ready-new-snow-waiver-request&template=gazette

How MCPS Tests for Early Entrance to Kindergarten

How does MCPS evaluate a child for early entrance into kindergarten?  
From a recent Appeal to the Maryland State Board of Education we learn that children are tested in 7 categories when they are evaluated for early entrance into kindergarten.  

  JhonZ.opin.No.14 14 by Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland

Charles County Granted Waiver of 3 Days

http://www.thebaynet.com/news/index.cfm/fa/viewstory/story_ID/36290

2 of 12 Frederick Co Public School Snow Days Waived - WBFF Fox Baltimore - Top Stories

2 of 12 Frederick Co Public School Snow Days Waived - WBFF Fox Baltimore - Top Stories

Md. Audit: Employees Charged Thousands Worth of ‘Inappropriate’ Goods to State-Issued Cards « CBS DC

This is why MCPS doesn't bother with "logs" of purchases!  MCPS just pays the American Express bill without question.  Why get all bothered by the details?


CBS:  Md. Audit: Employees Charged Thousands Worth of ‘Inappropriate’ Goods to State-Issued Cards « CBS DC

Re-Engaging Dropouts: Local Innovations & New Opportunities for Federal Policy Capitol Hill Forum 04/04/2014

Capitol Hill Forum

04/04/2014 12:00 PM - 01:30 PM ET

Click here to register online

This forum will examine local progress and federal policy connections to support systematic efforts to re-engage dropouts in education drawing upon a growing body of experience in the multi-city Reengagement Network hosted by the National League of Cities (NLC).  Andrew Moore of the NLC Institute for Youth, Education, and Families will provide an overview of reengagement activity nationwide, drawing upon a new Municipal Action Guide on the topic.  Eric Dregne of the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, Iowa will discuss recent progress and partnerships of Re-Engage Dubuque. Robert Sainz of Los Angeles’ Economic and Workforce Development Department will describe early results from a unique workforce-school district reengagement partnership supported by the Workforce Innovation Fund.  Allie Kimmel, Legislative Assistant, Representative Jared Polis (CO-2) will provide closing remarks. Co-Sponsored by National League of Cities Institute for Youth, Education, and Families, and Youth Transition Funders Group - Multiple Pathways to Graduation Work Group