By Adam Pagnucco.
In Part One, we transcribed an exchange between Council Member Kate Stewart and Board of Education President Karla Silvestre about accountability for MCPS administrators who were involved with the promotion of former Principal Joel Beidleman. In Part Two, we learned about the puny size of MCPS’s investigative staff and discussed the council’s unhappiness with getting a less redacted version of the Jackson Lewis report at the last minute. Let’s conclude with two more issues.
The board will not discuss why former Superintendent Monifa McKnight left MCPS.
When Council Member Laurie-Anne Sayles asked why former Superintendent Monifa McKnight was “requested to resign,” Board of Education President Karla Silvestre completely stonewalled in her answer.
Council Member Laurie-Anne Sayles
So it’s our understanding that everyone was unaware of the complaints until the situation was escalated. And so a question that still remains: why was Dr. McKnight requested to resign if the report confirmed that this was a systemic issue that predated her appointment? Can anyone answer that question?
Board of Education President Karla Silvestre
As you know, this has been a huge challenge and distraction for the school system. This is a mutually agreed upon separation. [Note from Pagnucco: laughter is heard from the crowd.] We are focused on moving on, fixing the problems and focusing back on teaching and learning for our students and creating a safe working environment for our staff.
Question from Pagnucco: Did the board sign a non-disclosure agreement with McKnight as part of her separation package?
The council would like to see a stronger school board.
Here is a point of tension that has been a problem for many years: the council does not feel that the school board is strong enough to exercise adequate oversight of MCPS. While that sentiment is widespread among council members past and present, few if any have expressed it more forcefully than Council Member Natali Fani-Gonzalez. Let’s listen to what she had to say after an exchange with Interim Superintendent Monique Felder.
Council Member Natali Fani-Gonzalez
Thank you for that and I just want to also share to the school board – you guys are in a position of power. OK, when I’m here on the county council, when I was on the planning board, when I got information from staff, I didn’t just say yes and just simply took it. You have to question. This is about accountability and making sure that there is transparency. That’s what every single parent in this county – and student – is asking. It’s not a money issue. It’s a trust issue and understanding that you have a responsibility to ensure that the money that we’re giving you – half of the budget we’re giving you – is actually taken in a responsible way and making sure that we all know as parents, as teachers, as council members, as people who live in this county understand how the money is spent and what are the results. That’s what I’m asking you to do. And it’s not a question, it’s just a word of advice. Because at the end of the day, you’re elected officials, just like we are, but you have to be – you have to understand the power that you have and use it. And not just say yes to the staff and thinking they’re OK, they’re doing their jobs. No. So.
Silvestre
Thank you for that, council member, and I do want to say that we are building our capacity by adding more staff because we need help in order to be – to do our jobs effectively.
Fani-Gonzalez
And I’m going to push back. You don’t have a staff issue. What you have is making – what you have is an attitude. You have got to make sure you understand your power and demand accountability and transparency. You don’t need people to tell you that. You can do it yourself. You’re an elected official.
Note from Pagnucco: I will explore how to build a stronger school board in a future post.
My Take
While interesting on their own, the interactions between the council and MCPS officials at this committee meeting occur in a context. That context includes residual bad blood over the school budget fight a year ago (which included a proposed 10% property tax hike) and former Superintendent Monifa McKnight’s most recent recommended budget, which contains a large requested increase from county taxpayers. The council is well aware that the school budget they passed last year contained the biggest increase in at least two decades, but nevertheless produced complaints from the school board about “cuts.”
A new MCPS budget fight could easily happen this year, and if the county executive recommends another tax hike next month, it will be just as intense as the last one. In that environment, it’s crucial for MCPS to get past its current leadership scandal. McKnight could not have been an effective advocate given the problems occurring on her watch. Perhaps Interim Superintendent Monique Felder, who had no association with those problems, can do better.
If MCPS leaders can turn down the temperature, clean up their messes and discuss their budget in a believable fashion, they can get past their issues with the council. If not, the acrimony will continue.