Does MCPS General Counsel Review Resolutions Sent to the Board of Education? A Glaring Error in a Resolve for 4/20/23 Board of Education vote.

 To:  MCPS General Counsel Stephanie Williams

Re:  Board of Education Agenda Item 11.11 on April 20, 2023

On the Board of Education's April 20^th Agenda Item 11.11 Delegation of Authority to Execute Permanent Easements, Utility Easements, Rights-of-Way, Rights-of-Entry, Memoranda of Understanding for Land-Related Issues, and Land-Related Agreements of a Routine Nature contains a glaring error. 

In the whereas paragraph listing Board of Education authority and control. The paragraph states:

WHEREAS, The Board of Education has authority and control over the granting of ...not including telecommunication-related items, 

But the Board of Education does have authority and control over matters relating to telecommunications items on Board of Education land.  

It appears that the 11.11 Memorandum was never reviewed by the MCPS General Counsel's office.  The reference initials at the end of the Memorandum do not show review by anyone from the General Counsel's office.   

The Resolve of this Memorandum is exactly the same as was proposed in August of 2022.  The August 2022 Resolution was removed from the Agenda without discussion.  Changes have been made to the Memorandum and the Whereas paragraphs, but not to the actual Resolve that the Board of Education will be voting on.  

The actual Resolve allows the delegation of controversial, fee simple land issues to MCPS staff.  In the 2014 Resolution that was passed by the Board of Education, land issues that were controversial or involved fee simple land transactions were not permitted to be delegated to the superintendent or staff.  Agenda item 11.11 would rescind that prior Resolution. 

To make the glaring mistake clear, here is the whereas paragraph written as a list delineated by each of the commas in the paragraph.

WHEREAS, The Board of Education has authority and control over the granting of 

permanent easements, 

utility easements, 

rights-of-way, 

rights-of-entry, 

memoranda of understanding for land-related, 

not including telecommunication-related items, 

issues, 

and other land-related agreements that encumber or impair Board of Education-owned property; and  

We request that Board of Education Agenda Item 11.11 be removed from the Agenda pending review by the MCPS General Counsel office. 

Thank you for your prompt attention to this urgent matter. 

Janis Zink Sartucci

Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, MD

Artificial Intelligence (AI) provides unbiased comparison of the SMOB candidates

Each of the two Student Member of the Board (SMOB) candidates responded to interview questions submitted by local blogger Moderately MoCo.  The Q&A is long and complex, so we asked ChatGPT to compare the two candidates.  Here's what ChatGPT wrote.  Please note that this text has not been verified by humans.  Let us know in the comments if you find any errors.

The two SMOB (Student Member of the Board) candidates in Montgomery County, Maryland, Sami Saeed and Yoseph Zerihun, have different backgrounds, platforms, and goals if elected.

Sami Saeed, who attends Quince Orchard High School, emphasizes the need for more mental health resources in schools. He notes that the pandemic has highlighted existing mental health issues among students and hopes to work towards creating a more supportive environment. In addition, he wants to address the achievement gap in the county's schools and promote diversity and inclusion. Sami believes that a diverse student body is essential for creating a more equitable education system.

On the other hand, Yoseph Zerihun, who attends Montgomery Blair High School, also prioritizes mental health but has a broader platform that includes academic pressure, diversity and inclusion, and student voice. He wants to create a more balanced and equitable education system that addresses the root causes of academic pressure. Yoseph believes that student voice is critical for creating a more representative and inclusive education system. He also emphasizes the need to promote diversity and inclusion in schools and believes that all students should have access to mental health resources.

Overall, both candidates recognize the importance of mental health and diversity and inclusion in schools. However, their platforms and goals differ in terms of the scope and focus of their initiatives. Sami focuses more on mental health and the achievement gap, while Yoseph has a broader platform that includes academic pressure, diversity and inclusion, and student voice.

Ultimately, the choice between the two candidates may come down to personal preferences and priorities. Sami's emphasis on mental health and the achievement gap may resonate with students who have experienced these issues firsthand. Yoseph's broader platform that addresses academic pressure and promotes student voice may appeal to those who want a more comprehensive and representative education system. Regardless of who is elected, it is clear that both candidates are passionate about improving the education system in Montgomery County and will work hard to achieve their goals.

The entire interviews can be found at:

https://moderatelymoco.com/exclusive-interview-with-smob-finalist-sami-saeed/

https://moderatelymoco.com/exclusive-interview-with-smob-finalist-yoseph-zerihun/

Once Again, Superintendent McKnight will Try to Get @mocoboe to Hand Over Land Use Decisions to @mcps Staff. [An attempt in August 2022 failed.]

The Montgomery County Board of Education and Superintendent Monifa McKnight want to get the public out of decisions about Public School Land.  

On Thursday April 20, 2023, the Board of Education's Consent Agenda will include a vote to remove public input from some Public School Land decisions.

  

They tried to do this in August of 2022, but the resolution was pulled from the Agenda after a public outcry. 

Placement of an item on the Consent Agenda means that the item being voted on won't even be discussed.  It is assumed that the item is so trivial that Board of Education members will unanimously approve it without discussion. 

This Agenda item will hand over all these Public School Land Use decisions to the Superintendent and she can then hand those decisions over to Seth Adams, Director of Facilities Management, so that he can make the decisions without public notice, without public input and without oversight.  Seth Adams will be able to make these land use decisions even if they are of a controversial nature.  

What decisions might be included in this broad delegation of authority to the superintendent?  Moving bus depots, moving bus parking, cell tower compounds, removing trees/forests etc...? 

How might local Public School Land be changed by these decisions that will now be made by one MCPS employee alone behind closed doors? If the Board of Education approves this Resolution, those questions will be for the Superintendent and Seth Adams to know and the public to never find out.  

6.10 Delegation of Authority to Execute Permanent Easements, Utility Easements, Rights-of-Way, Rights-of-Entry, Memoranda of Understanding for Land-Related Issues, and Land-Related Agreements of a Routine Nature 

“Skipping class has been normalized at this point and it goes pretty much unnoticed, even in the most extreme cases,” said an anonymous B-CC Junior with 271 unexcused absences.

 

MCPS to Release New Attendance Policy

...A B-CC sophomore who wishes to remain anonymous responded by saying, “That doesn’t even include all the students who skip class and turn in fake notes.” Later admitting, “Every time I skip I turn one in because of how easy it is and it then marks me as excused.” 

 

The distribution of Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) school report cards revealed that 19.1% of B-CC students are “chronically absent.” Chronic absence is defined as a student who has been absent for more than 10% of the school year. The issue, which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and related mental health issues, has risen rapidly across the county in recent years...

...One B-CC junior who has had 189 unexcused absences so far this school year says, ”Honestly there are no real consequences, even if I was just skipping at Starbucks my teachers still let me make up the work and I get away unscathed.” Many B-CC students share similar feelings, “Skipping class has been normalized at this point and it goes pretty much unnoticed, even in the most extreme cases,” said an anonymous B-CC Junior with 271 unexcused absences. 

This issue is consistent across the county with some schools such as Kennedy High School having as high as 49.4% of students being chronically absent. The MCPS Department of Education is dedicated to addressing this issue and hopes that this new plan will be successful in combating the issue of chronic absenteeism within our county...

 MCPS to Release New Attendance Policy – The Tattler (bcctattler.org)

Spring 2023 Montgomery County Planning Board Applicants

Candidates Political      Party Affiliation

Upneet Singh Atwal Democrat

Sunil Dasgupta Democrat

Denine Fernandez Democrat

Rita Ferrall Republican

Warren Fleming Democrat

Peter Fosselman * Democrat

Carolyn Gallaher Democrat

Artie Harris * Democrat

Josh Linden pending

Robert Love * Democrat

Joseph Micallef 1 Democrat

Faramarz Mokhtari Republican

Emil Nusbaum 1 Republican

Brian O'Looney 1 Democrat

Richard Peppin unaffiliated/other (Green)

Roberto Piñero Democrat

Alexander Ratner 1 Democrat

Hans Riemer * Democrat

Lisa Shanley unaffiliated

Donald Silverstein unaffiliated

Nichole Gibbs Thomas unaffiliated

Wendy White * Democrat

Avital Zenilman 1 Republican

Jim Zhao Democrat

*applicant for Planning Board chair

1 applicant for Planning Board chair or Board member

Planning-Board-Applicant-List-April-2023.pdf (montgomerycountymd.gov)

Baltimore County Public Schools Puts Funds Toward Free Breakfast and Lunch for All Students for 2023-2024 School Year

 

Dear Team BCPS,

.

We are pleased to provide an update on our plans for student meal service for the 2023-2024 school year. BCPS will adopt a systemwide Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) model for the 2023-2024 school year and will provide free breakfast and lunch meals to all students. BCPS families will no longer be required to complete meal applications to determine eligibility. Healthy meals are a vital part of the learning process and students will have access to a wide array of fresh fruits and vegetables, bento boxes and salads, and much more throughout the school year.

.

The BCPS Office of Food and Nutrition Services will continue to provide nutritious meals in a supportive environment for all BCPS students.

.

Baltimore County Public Schools

Baltimore County students will get free meals (wbaltv.com)

"The kids and I are struggling." MCPS teacher asks to borrow portable air conditioner on social media. @mocoboe @mcps can't provide well ventilated, cooled classrooms?

In search of a portable air conditioner to use in my classroom.

I am an MCPS elementary school teacher. The building has not switched over to AC yet and even when it’s on, my wing of the building is h.o.t.

The kids and I are struggling...

I would only need to borrow one until the end of the school year. Please and thank you!!!

The Hill: Community college enrollment plunges nearly 40 percent in a decade

Community college enrollment has plummeted by nearly two-fifths since 2010, a staggering decline in a sector with the potential to offer the greatest value in American higher education. 

Enrollment in public two-year colleges dropped from 7 million in fall 2010 to 4.5 million in fall 2022, according to data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. 

Entire story at:
https://thehill.com/homenews/3950897-community-college-enrollment-plunges-nearly-40-percent-in-a-decade/

Recent enrollment data for Montgomery College can be found at:
https://www.montgomerycollege.edu/_documents/offices/institutional-research-and-effectiveness/2022-fall-enrollment-summary.pdf

**********

Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, MD posts on Montgomery College's dropping enrollment as MCPS enrollment increased.  

Vape detectors being installed at some Montgomery County high schools

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. - Vape detectors will be installed at a select number of high schools in Montgomery County in the coming weeks.

Montgomery County Public Schools announced the new safety initiative Wednesday in an effort to prevent students from smoking and congregating in school bathrooms. 

The school district says the detectors will help identify any instances of vaping or smoking in the bathrooms, and allow administrators to take appropriate action.

In addition to the added devices, MCPS says it will pilot another program that involves high school students wearing badges as a way to identify themselves on campus...

Vape detectors being installed at some Montgomery County high schools (fox5dc.com)

Some Montgomery parents want to opt out of new books featuring LGBTQ characters

The school system said in March it would halt its opt-out process on the books

Earlier this school year, Maryland’s largest school district revised its curriculum to include a new reading list of books with young LGBTQ characters in an effort to be more inclusive, but the reading list is getting pushback from some families who argue that Montgomery County Public Schools should allow an opt-out policy so their children won’t have to read the books or participate in lessons about them.

The reading list introduced several new books for students in prekindergarten to eighth grade that feature LGBTQ characters as part of the school system’s English language arts curriculum. The books include “My Rainbow” — a story about a mom who makes a wig for her transgender daughter — and “Love Violet” — a picture book about a shy young girl who mulls over how to give a Valentine to her crush, a girl in her class named Mira.

The stories on the list were recommended by a group of parents, community members, students and staff members, and the books were vetted by a committee of five staff members. Each book was posted online for parents to review. In an announcement in January unveiling the new material, the school system wrote, “As with all curriculum resources, there is an expectation that teachers use the texts as a part of instruction,” but that the materials were “optional as it is standard practice that teachers have a choice regarding which materials to use.”..

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/04/11/montgomery-county-schools-lgbtq-book-opt-out/?utm_source=feedly&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=wp_homepage&utm_source=reddit.com

New Maryland law stops statute of limitations for survivors to sue sex abusers

BALTIMORE - Maryland Gov. Wes Moore signed dozens of bills into law Tuesday afternoon, hours after the 2023 legislative session ended.

One of those new Maryland laws will open the door to new lawsuits brought by survivors of child sex abuse.

Survivors of child abuse have been pushing lawmakers to pass the "Child Victims Act" for decades.
Finally, Senate Bill 686, House Bill 1 is now a law.

There is no longer a statute of limitations for survivors of child sex abuse in Maryland to sue their abusers.

"It doesn't feel real. It really doesn't," survivor Teresa Lancaster said. "We've been denied so many times."..

New Maryland law stops statute of limitations for survivors to sue sex abusers - CBS Baltimore (cbsnews.com)

These abuse survivors thought they knew the details. Then came the clergy reports. [Now do @mcps @mocoboe!]

 

While the Catholic Church sexual abuse scandal erupted decades ago, details in official investigative reports are incredibly powerful for survivors

Since the 1990s, when Jean Wehner started to remember the “sexual torture” she endured as a Catholic high school student, she has sued the Baltimore Archdiocese, written a memoir and appeared in a Netflix documentary about her abuse. But the release last week of a Maryland attorney general’s report citing decades worth of internal church records about her abuser — it all brought a kind of bitter validation, Wehner says, to that terrified little girl.

“I’m my own worst detective as an adult. I was taught by my faith system to be a good girl, not to lie, not to believe something that isn’t true. I’m always still doubting myself and dissecting everything and challenging myself,” said Wehner, 69, now a wellness practitioner in Elkridge. “This puts the detective to rest. The adult me, who has been trying to integrate with this child, can now say: ‘Oh hell yes, I will 100 percent stand up for you.’”..

Catholic clergy sexual abuse reports are still incredibly powerful for survivors - The Washington Post

***TODAY: Montgomery County Senators Blocking Legislation for Children with Disabilities @CherylKagan @BrianJFeldman

We need your help to push HB294 County Boards of Education - Due Process Proceedings for Children With Disabilities - Burden of Proof and HB1237 Special Education - Judicial Actions - Attorney's Fees and Related Costs over the finish line in Annapolis TODAY! 

These bills will help level the playing field for parents or guardians in due process proceedings. HB294 shifts the burden of proof to the local education authority (LEA) to prove that they are delivering an appropriate education to students. This is important because LEAs have many more resources than the family in a hearing, causing a "David and Goliath" situation. HB1237 would cover attorney fees AND expert witness fees if a family wins their case. Again, the school system has access to experts, but a family must be able to pay for witness fees. This creates inequities. Unless these bills pass, families with means will continue to have a better chance at obtaining a free and appropriate education. Both bills passed the House of Delegates without opposition and passed 135-0! Both have stalled in the Education, Energy, and the Environment committee.

 https://www.votervoice.net/mobile/FSPTA/Campaigns/103595/Respond?vvsn=BP8EAgyLBCrSZAIB2vb7BAA

Decades of sexual abuse in Baltimore Catholic churches: Report l GMA [Now do @mcps @mocoboe!]

AG's report documents past child sexual abuse in Balt. Archdiocese

Our focus on Midday today is the Attorney General’s Report on Child Sexual Abuse in the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

A warning to our listeners: for the rest of the hour, we’re going to talk about child sexual abuse.

Yesterday, Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown released the long-awaited Catholic clergy sexual abuse report. It chronicles more than 80 years of abuse by more than 150 Catholic clergy members, seminarians, deacons and Archdiocese employees, and their victimization of more than 600 children and young people.

The Catholic Church is by no means the only religious faith institution which has had clergy break trust and act criminally with their congregants, nor are religious institutions the only professions in which abusers prey on children. But the Catholic Church is the sole focus of this particular report...

AG's report documents past child sexual abuse in Balt. Archdiocese | WYPR

Kennedy High School Staff Member, ‘Loving Husband and Father,’ Dies

 

A staff member at Kennedy High School in Silver Spring has died.

“With great sadness, I must inform you of the unexpected death of a Kennedy High School staff member,” Principal Dr. Joe Rubens wrote in a letter to families Thursday. “Mr. Kofi Frempong, as Coordinator of our schools’ Leadership Training Institute (LTI), was a wellknown member of our community.”

“Mr. Frempong was a loving husband and father. I know you join me in extending our deepest sympathy to the Frempong family,” Rubens wrote.

According to Anne Arundel County Police, 47-year-old Kofi Frempong, of Bowie, was shot and killed by his nephew in a homicide/suicide on Wednesday in Glen Burnie. Police said evidence indicated 27-year-old Daniel Amponsah turned the firearm on himself before officers were able to reach him...

Kennedy High School Staff Member, ‘Loving Husband and Father,’ Dies - Montgomery Community Media (mymcmedia.org)

Investigations of Archdiocese of Washington, Diocese of Wilmington are ongoing, Maryland AG says [NOW DO PUBLIC SCHOOLS!]

Moments before releasing a 456-page grand jury report detailing decades of sexual abuse and cover-ups within the Archdiocese of Baltimore, Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown said on Wednesday that his office has also been investigating the Archdiocese of Washington and Diocese of Wilmington.

Speaking to reporters at his offices in St. Paul Plaza in Baltimore, Brown said investigators launched those inquiries at the same time that they began looking into the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 2018. He described those investigations as ongoing.

“We have issued subpoenas. We have been looking into this matter. And we will continue to do so,” Brown said...

The Archdiocese of Washington and Diocese of Wilmington: Maryland AG investigating - The Baltimore Banner

Gov. Wes Moore ‘eager’ to sign Child Victims Act, approved less than an hour after church abuse report’s release

Within an hour of Wednesday’s release of an attorney general’s investigation into abuse at the hands of priests in Baltimore’s Catholic archdiocese, the Maryland General Assembly sent a bill to Gov. Wes Moore’s desk to allow more survivors to sue people who sexually abused them.

Moore vowed to sign the Child Victims Act (House Bill 1), sponsored by House Economic Matters Committee Chair C.T. Wilson, a Democrat from Charles County and a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. This is the fourth legislative session that Wilson, who painfully related his own story of abuse to fellow lawmakers, has sponsored the bill...

Gov. Wes Moore ‘eager’ to sign Child Victims Act, approved less than an hour after church abuse report’s release – Baltimore Sun

Poolesville students report nausea, headaches during school construction

During the weeks that Poolesville High School has been under construction, several students have reported nausea, headaches and difficulty concentrating.

The students and their parents say the symptoms started in February and are a reaction to fumes being emitted from tar used in renovations. They have asked Montgomery County school officials to pause the work until students’ health concerns are addressed.

Krisna Becker, a parent of two at the school, said one of her daughters texted her on Feb. 14 asking to be picked up early because of how strong the fumes were from the construction work. Other students and teachers had also been complaining that morning. The school ended up releasing early that day because of an odor that came from “work done outside of school hours and windy conditions,” Montgomery County Public Schools spokeswoman Jessica Baxter said....

Parents ask for a pause to Poolesville school construction after student complaints - The Washington Post

Councilmembers Friedson and Luedtke want to eliminate advocacy for the public in zoning and land use decisions, want advocacy of OPC to be shut out of zoning decisions. #OfficeofPeoplesCounsel

Montgomery County Councilmember Andrew Friedson has introduced a bill to shut down the Office of People's Counsel (OPC) advocacy on zoning and land use decisions in Montgomery County.  

The purpose of the Office of People's Counsel is:  

Here's the bill that Councilmember Andrew Friedson has introduced.  The bill is also being co-sponsored by Councilmember Dawn Luedtke.  

DownloadFilePage (montgomerycountymd.gov)

Here is the introduction of the bill from the March 28th County Council meeting.