#BREAKING Former @MCPS teacher John Vigna who was convicted of sexually abusing students in 2017 has had his convictions vacated by a Montgomery County Circuit Court judge. Vigna was serving 48-years in prison, but has now been released ahead of a new trial. @WTOP
— Mike Murillo (@MikeMurilloWTOP) July 18, 2023
Tuesday, July 18, 2023
#BREAKING Former @MCPS teacher John Vigna who was convicted of sexually abusing students in 2017 has had his convictions vacated by a Montgomery County Circuit Court judge David Lease
Monday, July 17, 2023
Families who invested in Maryland 529 plans win long-fought battle with state over earnings
Published 7/12/2023 5:30 a.m. EDT
Maryland families who use the state’s prepaid tuition program to save for college will get the generous earnings on plan contributions they’ve been pushing for since the state distributed, and then took back, money from thousands of account holders last year, State Treasurer Dereck Davis announced this week.
State lawmakers earlier this year tapped Davis to manage Maryland 529 — the agency that oversees the Maryland Prepaid College Trust — as well as to investigate the factors that led to the program falling into disarray, and to make recommendations about how to move forward. Davis said he found a series of problems so complex and intertwined that he compared the inquiry to peeling an onion...
Friday, July 14, 2023
Oh hey, @mcps @mocoboe have you watched this news report? It's about how your Transportation Department got into trouble.
Remember that former MCPS Director of Transportation Todd Watkins flew to Dallas, Texas in 2015, and met with RICK SORRELLS to sign up for the school bus stop arm camera scheme.
Now read what Mr. Sorrells was up to in Dallas.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DCS officials signed risky contracts to outfit school buses in 12 local school districts with exterior cameras that would record drivers ignoring the bus's safety "Stop" arm. The offenders would then be ticketed and the agency would profit. The plan, however, didn't work.
The stories highlighted below reveal how money that was supposed to keep children safe wound up in the pockets of a public official and cost hundreds of people their jobs.
The Characters
 | Rick Sorrells, former DCS superintendent forced to retire in 2017 amidst questions about the finances at DCS. In April 2018, Sorrells pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud and admitted to receiving more than $3 million in bribes and kickbacks in exchange for entering into contracts for $70 million in school bus camera equipment. He's expected to be sentenced in August. |
Behind the Cameras: The Fall of Dallas County Schools – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth (nbcdfw.com)
Thursday, July 13, 2023
6th Person Sent to Prison in Scheme that Brought School Bus Stop Arm Cameras to Montgomery County, MD. MCPS Fmr Dir Todd Watkins Met with Rick Sorrells in Dallas. @mcps @mocoboe
Reminder: In 2015, MCPS former Director of Transportation Todd Watkins flew to Dallas and met with Dallas Schools Superintendent Rick Sorrells to discuss school bus stop arm cameras through the vendor Force Multiplier Solutions. Todd Watkins signed MCPS to participate in this no bid scheme and it is still in use today. After the company was investigated and 6 people connected to the scheme were convicted and sentenced, the company changed its name and became Bus Patrol America.
By Scott Friedman
Tuesday, July 11, 2023
TONIGHT: Mont. Co. Ethics Commission to Vote Whether or Not to Record Meetings and Post Videos. Will they or won't they? #Transparency
* * * Next Public Meeting: July 11th at 7 pm (in person only in Room 114 Council Office Building). For Building Access and Parking Information see https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/dir.html and use the Accessible Public Entrance; Room 114 is to the right after entering building. * * *
The Ethics Commission exercises authorities granted to it under the Public Ethics Law to promote the public’s trust of County government and to ensure the impartiality of County employees, including elected officials, in the execution of their responsibilities.
If you have any questions, please contact the Ethics Commission by phone at: 240-777-6670 or email at: Ethics.Commission@montgomerycountymd.gov
For further information about the Commission, please follow the links on this page to the Ethics Law as well as to various topics and reports.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY ETHICS COMMISSION
Agenda for Public Meeting July 11, 2023 1. Call to Order 2. Moment of Silence in Honor of Bruce F. Romer 3. Commission Member Reflections on Service of Bruce F. Romer 4. Approval of Meeting Minutes for May 9, 2023 5. Employee Ethics Education Developments 6. Status of Annual Financial Disclosure Filings 7. Discussion: Working on Matters Affecting Prior Employers 8. Discussion on Racial Equity 9. Discussion on County's Policy on Recordation 10. New Business Adjourn to Administrative Meeting Administrative Meeting Agenda a. Waiver request(s) b. Informal Advice and Request(s) for Advisory Opinion c. Outside Employment Requests
Donations for MCPS "backpacks" puts $133,500 salary in director's pocket.
From the MCPS Educational Foundation 990 form shown on Guidestar:
The MCPS Educational Foundation runs the MCPS backpacks campaign. mcpsgivebackpacks.org
Gaithersburg High School Opened in 2013. The auditorium has already fallen into a state of disrepair and closed to community use.
From October 2022 ICM Minutes:
...Gaithersburg High School’s Auditorium seems to be in a concerning state of disrepair. The video projection system has been out of service for more than a year. At this time, CUPF has closed the auditorium for community use, has begun rescheduling current permit holders elsewhere when possible, and will no longer issue permits for this facility until repairs are made....
FINAL_Item 2_0_ICB Minutes_102622.pdf (montgomerycountymd.gov)
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Monday, July 10, 2023
BEWARE of Donations to MCPS "Foundation". Foundation has $7.7M in assets. State Audit Finding shows MCPS did not have a memorandum of agreement with its affiliated foundation to address each entity’s roles and responsibilities.
Maryland Office of Legislative Audits finding related to the MCPS Educational Foundation that is currently requesting donations for student school supplies. What do they really do with your donations?
Finding 13
MCPS did not have a memorandum of agreement with its affiliated
foundation to address each entity’s roles and responsibilities.
Analysis
MCPS did not have a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with its affiliated
foundation (Montgomery County Public Schools Educational Foundation) to
address each entity’s roles and responsibilities. The Foundation is a tax exempt
charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service
(IRS) code that was created in 1988. According to filings with the IRS and its
website, the Foundation’s purpose is to support and enhance the educational goals
established by the Board of Education of Montgomery County, which it
accomplishes through fundraising and providing grants to teachers and
scholarships to students.
According to the Foundation's fiscal year 2020 audited financial statements,
revenues and expenditures totaled $1.8 million and $1.2 million, respectively.
Additionally, as of June 30, 2020, the Foundation’s assets totaled $7.7 million,
which primarily consisted of cash of $1.2 million and investments of $6.5 million.
The Foundation’s unrestricted funds totaled approximately $2.3 million.
Under the circumstances, given the Foundation’s public purpose and its
relationship to MCPS, it would be appropriate to enter into a formal MOA that
specifies the roles and responsibilities of each entity, which could include the
following:
The Foundation’s solicitation, collection, and administration of funds.
Although the Foundation had an investment policy, the policy did not address
controls over collected funds including proper collateralization of funds, the
use of interest bearing accounts, and procedures for the accounting and
reporting of fund balances. The policy also did not address the need for a
long-term plan that maximizes the use of unrestricted funds.
The Foundation’s conflict of interest policy for board members and
Foundation employees. Although the Foundation had an ethics policy, the
policy was not as comprehensive as those provided for under the State Ethics
law, which addresses standards of conduct, ethics training, and completing
annual financial disclosures by board members and officers. Such a policy
would provide additional assurance regarding the integrity of the Foundation’s
board and its processes, and should include a requirement to advise MCPS of
conflict of interest issues.
The Foundation’s procurement policies for purchases donated to MCPS.
The Foundation’s submission of an annual audit report to MCPS’ Board of
Education.
MCPS’ sharing of priorities, projects and resource requirements; including the
sharing of any non-private data to assist the Foundation’s effort.
MCPS’ providing of any in-kind support functions and the use of its facilities
to the Foundation.
Recommendation 13
We recommend that MCPS enter into an MOA with its affiliated Foundation
detailing the roles and responsibilities for each entity in critical areas such as
conflicts of interest, collection and safeguarding funds, and procurement
policies.
MCPS22 MD Office of Legisla... by Parents' Coalition of Montg...
The dark side of artificial greening: Plastic turfs as widespread pollutants of aquatic environments
Highlights
- •
The presence of artificial turf fibers was specifically investigated in river and sea surface waters.
- •
Artificial turf fibers accounted for up to 15% of meso- and macroplastic abundance.
- •
Artificial turf fibers were composed of polyethylene (86.3%) and polypropylene (13.7%).
- •
Up to 20,000 fibers day−1 and 213,200 fibers km−2 were found in river and sea surface waters.
- •
Riverine flux of artificial turf fibers was positively related to rainfall.
From ‘irate’ to ‘threatening’ parents: Why a principals’ group wants security at elementary schools
“Increasingly aggressive behavior towards our staff,” Handy said. And that aggressive behavior isn’t from students — it’s “parents and community members.”
In testimony before the Montgomery County Board of Education during its June 27 meeting, Handy told board members, “a male parent invaded the personal space of a female principal in a threatening manner and had to be banned from the property.”..
Sunday, July 9, 2023
Man with guns near Obama home entered a Montgomery school for Jan. 6-related film
Taylor Taranto, 37, live-streamed himself and several others entering a gymnasium and displaying the film at Piney Branch Elementary School in Takoma Park, just north of Washington, on June 18, according to U.S. prosecutors. Prosecutors said that Taranto said he chose the elementary school because it was close to the home of U.S. Rep. Jamie B. Raskin (D-Md.). Raskin has been a leading congressional critic of Donald Trump.
Piney Branch Elementary School Principal Christine Oberdorf wrote to families Thursday explaining that a group that advocates for participants in the Jan. 6 insurrection, called Make America Safe Again or MASA, requested to use the school’s cafeteria from 8 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. to show a film that day. Taranto was not a part of the permit request...
Math and reading scores for American 13-year-olds plunge to lowest levels in decades
ath and reading scores among America’s 13-year-olds fell to their lowest levels in decades, with math scores plunging by the largest margin ever recorded, according to the results of a federal test known as the nation’s report card.
The results, released Wednesday, are the latest measure of the deep learning setbacks incurred during the pandemic. While earlier testing revealed the magnitude of America’s learning loss, the latest test casts light on the persistence of those setbacks, dimming hopes of swift academic recovery.
More than two years after most students returned to in-person class, there are still “worrisome signs about student achievement,” said Peggy G. Carr, commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, a branch of the federal Education Department.
“The ‘green shoots’ of academic recovery that we had hoped to see have not materialized,” Carr said in a statement.
Saturday, July 8, 2023
Thursday, July 6, 2023
Montgomery Co. reports uptick in students arrested on school grounds
The data was shared by school officials in a presentation on student well-being and safety during a June 27 Board of Education meeting. Eight of the students arrested during the 2022-2023 school year were Black, and five were white, according to county data. The data doesn’t cite what the students were arrested for.
Some school board members expressed frustration that Hispanic students weren’t included in the data...
Montgomery Co. reports uptick in students arrested on school grounds - WTOP News
Wednesday, July 5, 2023
Transportation Official Used MCPS Money to Pay for Cars, Furniture, Landscaping
Ewald stole more than $320,000 “through misuse of his school system issued purchasing card and fabricated requests for reimbursement from money owed by a vendor to the school system” beginning in 2016 through the fall of 2021, when he was suspended.
A purchasing card is a credit card with the individual employee’s name on it, but MCPS is responsible for paying the debt.
According to his plea agreement, there was a spending limit of $500 per purchase card transaction. Ewald ran over that limit 80% of the time...
Monday, July 3, 2023
The Saga of Superintendent McKnight's Unsettled Move
Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) superintendent Monifa McKnight seems to be caught in a never-ending vortex of residency confusion. Per Dr. McKnight's contract -- executed more than a year ago -- she was required to become a resident of Montgomery County no later than June 30, 2023.
With the June 30 contractual deadline for establishing residency in Montgomery County having passed, Superintendent McKnight has found herself entangled in a web of embarrassing circumstances that have left some in the community scratching their heads.
McKnight, the esteemed leader responsible for shaping young minds, is still registered to vote in Prince George's County. How could the superintendent guide the educational ship when her political allegiance is seemingly in a different county altogether?
Adding fuel to the fire, the Department of Assessments and Taxation has spilled the beans on McKnight's residential uncertainty. Her Prince George's County home is still certified as her principal residence, leaving residents to ponder if she's moonlighting as a homeowner in two different counties.
Amidst the chaos, the Board of Education's oblivious response (or no response at all) has raised eyebrows. Residents can't help but wonder if the board has mistakenly turned their oversight duties into a game of "Let's Disregard Superintendent McKnight's Contract" —a delightful diversion from the seriousness of their roles.
As the frustration echoes through the community, the saga of Superintendent McKnight's residency misadventures continues. Will she ever find her way to Montgomery County? Will her Prince George's County home become a backup residence? Only time will tell in this uproarious tale that proves even the most serious matters can sometimes take an unexpected detour, especially under our Board of Education.
Findings Released in Sexual Harassment Investigation at Montgomery College
The Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) completed an investigation into sexual harassment charges against a professor at Montgomery College’s Takoma Park Campus on Wednesday, June 28.
According to the report, the professor required women students to remove their shirts and wear only their bras as he made commentary on their bodies to demonstrate a medical assessment. The assessment process required neither action. Reports of targeted harassment after the class were also filed...
Sunday, July 2, 2023
Former Montgomery County schools administrator Todd Watkins pleads guilty amid $320,000 theft scandal
Todd Michael Watkins, 56, of Jefferson, Md., was appointed Director of the Montgomery County Public Schools Department of Transportation in 2009. Starting at least in 2016 and continuing into September 2021, Watkins allegedly failed to properly manage the contract for the purchases of school buses and the use of purchasing cards in his department. The State's Attorney's Office claimed that Charles Ewald, the former Assistant Director of the Department of Transportation, was able to steal over $320,000 as a result...
Former Montgomery County schools administrator pleads guilty amid $320,000 theft scandal | WJLA
Former School Director of Transportation Pleads Guilty to Misconduct in Office
Watkins, 56, simply answered yes or no to all questions put forth to him by Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Michael McAuliff and didn’t make any statements. He acknowledged in court that he freely pled guilty and accepted the plea deal...
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