Monthly Archives: October 2018

31

Oct. ’18

PGCPS Parents and students voice concerns about school fights at Dr. Henry Wise High School.

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Ms. Byonka Gregory, Principal of Dr. Henry Wise High School 

Parents, students and school staff are raising concerns in the community following a special coverage which highlighted a major fiasco at Crossland High School. It is after a string of fights Prince George’s County Public School District administrators admit are out of control. One administrator shook his head after explaining the “current situation” concerning Dr. Henry Wise High School in similar fiasco and walked off powerlessly.

Some parents could possibly change schools if this is not taken care of. A lot of the parents who were meeting with this reporter nodded when that was said. They’re demanding the district put an end to the fights, and soon.

“Right now, we aren’t even sure if we want to come back next year. We’re seriously considering moving and we shouldn’t have to.”

Parents and students at Dr. Henry Wise High School and Crossland High schools are fed up. This school year, it is possible about two dozen students might have been suspended from both High schools because of physical aggression. It is also possible other students might have been punished but there are no improvements in many other schools within the county.

“We are facing a complete breakdown of authority in and outside of the schools, if you’ve heard from parents and students.” One parent who wanted to remain anonymous stated. Carolyn Grobes  added that, “A bunch of these principals aren’t equipped to handle these bad behind students in PGC, but that mess starts AT home. Parents need to start teaching their children HOW to be respectful, behave and stop expecting the schools to do It. They’re going to school to learn, and should know that by high school. The school should start calling the police, having kids arrested and expelled. Put a stop to this behavior before someone gets seriously hurt or killed and PGCS gets sued.” Another parent  Chanda Adkisson  stated on social media that, “This is occurring at several HS. Truly disturbing.”

Fights on school property have been caught on camera and shared on social media. District officials say it’s become a bigger problem than it has in the past. At least two teachers were hurt when they tried  to stop the violence in the past. There is not enough statics to report on that right now.

“We’ve heard stories from families impacted, and if your stomach did not turn of these stories of the parents and staff, I ask do you have a pulse?”

Video footage shows that fights break out both inside and outside the school. The videos show students punching, kicking, dragging and pulling each other’s hair. Several students were knocked out to the ground. Other students appear to be engaged in a serious melee in all directions as others cry for help within Dr. Henry Wise High School grounds.

Some Administrators, parents and an officer who wanted to remain anonymous for now blame the current leadership of Monica Goldson and corrupt union Executives for cover ups.  Some administrators say they can’t pinpoint exactly why there has been an uptick in fights. Some Board members say the district is working hard on a solution.

“I didn’t sleep all week about the issues that come to me about Dr. Henry Wise High School. Every day, every night, something about Dr. Henry Wise High School, and it’s a safety issue. That worries me,” one mother with a child at the school stated.

But parents and students say there’s a lack of communication and trust. When one parent who wanted to remain anonymous was asked if county citizens were aware there are problems within the schools, her response was that, “No they are not aware there are problems and it’s been sickening. Kids getting knocked out in the bathroom. Like I said, this is my daughter Senior year and it’s been horrible. I wanted to take this to the news, but my daughter begged me not too! You know how teenagers are and I don’t want her to have to deal with any issues because of me.”

She added that, “I told her keep doing your work and just hold on for the next couple of months. I’m still a parent and worry about the kids who parents don’t know.”

“It is really bothering me that these type of issues aren’t known of at the higher levels. I would’ve thought the it would be the principal responsibility to report these things,” she concluded.

Another parent stated that, “We were told physical altercations are not fights, but there was no explanation given as to why that is. There was just the general appearance that the administration doesn’t trust the students at the high school and doesn’t trust us enough to tell us what’s actually going on.”

Many Principals in the county do not know how to handle the fights going on in the schools. The current administration led by Monica Goldson seems to be actively trying to conceal the illegal activities with the corrupt union support to derail any meaningful engagement. According to an opinion shared by teachers,  Monica Goldson want to secure a longer term to manage the school system through cover ups and corruption which has been for many years. A new leader who is not tied to the local dirty money networks is required to help shape and salvage the the situation before total disaster or deterioration in a sinking ship.

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Prince George’s County Juvenile Services within the Prince George’s County Court House can assist parents if their child is being targeted.

 

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30

Oct. ’18

PGCPS Crossland High School Parents Say Student Violence is Out of Control

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This is the Principal of Crossland, Michael Gilchrist

Warning: The links contain videos and pictures which are grisly and very distressing… For the faint hearted do not open.

By: Reform Sasscer staff

Oxon Hill  – Parents and employees at Crossland Public High School in Prince George’s County  (PGCPS) say that, “fights between students have gotten so out of control that even motorists, students, staff and teachers are at risk”. This comes after a new inexperienced Principal was assigned to the school this year.  Many parents say that, he shows up late often and he does not dress appropriately. Many students do not respect him based on the reports received from concerned parents.

A parent and an employee shared several cell phone videos of student fights, including one that shows students fighting on top of a moving car. No one tried to break up a brawl. Many students appear to be engaged in a serious melee in all directions as others cry for help in a busy street with moving cars.  When the videos were shared with the principal, Board members and others in authority to help, nothing was done. They directed the President of alumni association to remove the clip of the major brawl down from the social media. Parents are frustrated as the Principal was said to have remarked that, “once the students are out of the school grounds, there is nothing he could do.” However, there are reported fights on the school grounds at Crossland High School and other surrounding  schools. This is a county wide problem which is being covered up to the detriment of many families in Prince George’s county.

The frustration with many parents is that, whenever they go to the police or to juvenile services at the court house in Upper Marlboro, they are expected to have the names, the addresses, and a few other details about the harassers. The only people who can facilitate this data is the people in authority like the Principal.

The source asked to remain anonymous, fearing that students who engaged in wild fights may retaliate. They said students have even threatened teachers and other students with violence.

“They know that they kind of have the power of the school and that the teachers, the principal, the Board members, or the system can’t do anything,” the source said. “They’ll constantly say, ‘You can’t tell me what to do’ or ‘You can’t tell me this.’ Or, they’ll curse you, cuss at you and then now, it’s gotten to the point where they’ve been physical with several of the students and staff members.”

Members of the public and drivers who drive or live nearby Crossland High School are scared for their lives as shown in the video.

Students have created a social media page dedicated exclusively to Crossland High School fights. The account’s biography encourages students to submit videos.

Video footage shows that fights break out both inside and outside the school. The videos show students punching, kicking, dragging and pulling each other’s hair. One student literally jumped on top of a moving car to get away from murder as he was literally scared for his life before being brought down by several students in major punches to his face.

School administrators say they are taking steps to stop the violence but the parents are doubtful. The Principal has failed to facilitate in identifying major players involved in a major brawl recently and the parents are very worried. Principal  has not yet met with staff concerning this major fiasco ongoing in the county.

Prince George’s County Public School’s spokesman had not responded by the time of going to the press. However, parents would like the school officials to go beyond discipline and provide students with opportunities for mediation. They also want a co-principal who can assist the current Principal to mature into leadership as his background is in teaching at Elementary school. High schools have a different culture and students have different temperament.

“We can’t just stop at discipline, that’s not going to solve the problem,” said one parent who did not want to be identified. “Nothing has happened with the bullying form. My son does know the other kid that was targeting him by face and that he’s a 10th grader. I have spoken with Mr.Burroughs who’s a board member. He just sent an email with the videos to the principal and cc’d some board members and requested the principal to call me. Him along with the principal requested for the alumni association president to take down the video and told him he was promoting violence and bringing a lot of backlash to the school.”

Many Principals in the county do not know how to handle the fights going on in the schools. The current administration led by Monica Goldson seems to be actively trying to conceal the illegal activities so that they can secure a longer term to manage the school system through cover up and corruption which has been for many years. A new leader who is not tied to the local networks is required to help shape and salvage the sinking ship.

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Prince George’s County Juvenile Services within the Prince George’s County Court House can assist parents if their child is being targeted.

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99.9% of student misbehavior can be linked to unmet needs. Look for motivation and intent to understand the solution.

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28

Oct. ’18

Martin O’Malley: Larry Hogan’s ‘real estate racket’ is fish rotting from the head down.

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Maryland Governor Larry Hogan answers questions from the Baltimore Sun editorial board before the upcoming gubernatorial election. (Algerina Perna/Baltimore Sun)

By Martin O’Malley

While serving as Maryland’s governor, Larry Hogan has made a killing as a real estate developer and permit assembler. No wonder — as governor he has the power to hire and fire the people whose responsibility it is to grant or deny permits to his private real estate company and its clients. What’s more, having taken over our state after its fiscal health was restored, he has the ability to move capital dollars around to make any development project more attractive, more valuable and more profitable.

According to his own admissions, Larry Hogan has made around $2.4 million through his private real estate development and permit-obtaining company while governor of Maryland. This makes Larry Hogan the one and only governor in modern times to make himself a double millionaire while in office.

It also suggests to developers that Maryland is open for business — as long as you are using Larry Hogan’s business to get your development permits. Hire The Hogan Companies, and you get whatever state permits you need, the implication goes; and if you are looking to clear-cut forests or fill-in wetlands in counties controlled by a Republican county executive, then Mr. Hogan’s real estate racket can get you those permissions too.

Larry, for his part, denies having anything to do with the issuance of any permits affecting his 14 development sites or those of his company’s many clients. Making it easier to pave wetlands or access state highways is — we are to presume — just something he is doing for all of us while also making himself a double millionaire.

Not once that I’m aware of has Larry Hogan recused himself on any matter affecting the values of his development sites or those of his clients, or on the allocation of transportation or school construction dollars that affected the value of his sites or those of his clients. Wetlands permits, affordable housing tax credits, state highway access permits. It’s the dirty little secret developers and their lobbyists have whispered for years: Hire Mr. Hogan’s company if you need something from the state.

And his former title of “CEO of Hogan Companies” remains unfilled so as to make clear to all that this is still his racket, and he intends to return to it.

If any governor did these things pre-Trump, I doubt the newspapers of record would have given those governors a free pass. If this isn’t clearly illegal under state law, it should be; and the legislature should take action — however belatedly. Surely, the state Ethics Commission needs to revisit whatever secret criteria they gave Mr. Hogan for determining whether his real estate racket violates the public trust.

There is something rotten in Annapolis, and it is the smell of a fish rotting from the head down.

Martin O’Malley is the former governor of Maryland. Twitter: @MartinOMalley.

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Martin O’Malley is the former governor of Maryland. He says in part ” There is something rotten in Annapolis, and it is the smell of a fish rotting from the head down.”

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Senior gentleman holding a rotten fish

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26

Oct. ’18

Gov. Larry Hogan going home after Md. state employees demand more staffing, pay increases

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Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) (Cheryl Diaz Meyer/For The Washington Post)

By Ovetta Wiggins

Hundreds of state employees, including social workers, demonstrated outside the Maryland State House late Wednesday night to demand raises and better working conditions from the administration of Gov. Larry Hogan (R).

The public rebuke of Hogan, from workers represented by American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 3, came just before the start of early voting in the highly charged governor’s race, in which Hogan is holding a commanding lead over Democratic nominee Ben Jealous.

#HoganGotToGo #HoganPaysLess#TheTruthiscoming #AFSCMESTRONG #AFSCME3STRONG#WeWantOurMoneyMoney video courtesy Joey Morals

Protesters chanted, “Hey, hey, ho, ho, Hogan must go,” highlighting the strained relationship between the governor and the union over the past four years. The labor group has repeatedly criticized Hogan for staffing shortages and the effect they have on workers and the delivery of state services.

“I’m talking foster care, parole and probation, mental health,” said Patrick Moran, president of AFSCME Council 3, which represents more than 20,000 state workers. “People are grossly understaffed in numerous departments across the state, and overtime and caseloads bear that out.”

Earlier this year, Hogan was confronted by relatives of state corrections officers, who said a major staffing shortage has left their family members at risk on the job. After a heated exchange, one woman yelled at Hogan: “And if anything happens to our loved ones, it’s on you.”

About a month after the confrontation, the governor sent a letter to the state’s 4,700 correctional officers outlining the actions the administration has taken to try to address the staffing problems. The government recently started a class with 22 trainees, hoping to help fill 120 open spots at Eastern Correctional Institution, Hogan spokeswoman Amelia Chasse said Thursday.

AFSCME officials said that its members have received a cost-of-living adjustment but have not had a step increase, or full raise, in six years.

At the same time, they said, employees are seeing “dramatic” increases in their workload. For example, they said, some social workers are working on 20 cases, while the industry standard is 12.

“It is in­cred­ibly distressing that people are doing more work with less,” Moran said.

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Maryland state health worker Catherine Frazier calls on the state to hire more mental-health employees during a news conference in Catonsville, Md. in 2016. (Josh Hicks/The Washington Post)

Laurice Jones, an employee with the Baltimore City Department of Social Services, who spoke at Wednesday night’s protest, said there are 70 unfilled child welfare jobs in her agency, and workers are quitting because “the pay is too low and the work is too high.”

“We are losing staff every day,” she said. “When we are short-staffed and our resources are underfunded, it’s the children of Baltimore City who suffer.”

According to the state Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, the department has 1,200 openings.

Gerard Shields, a spokesman for the department, said “What gets lost in this debate is that we’ve also had a 20 percent drop in our prison population in the last 10 years.” Still, union officials said guards and other state employees are routinely forced to work overtime.

Chasse forwarded a one-page “fact sheet” about efforts to hire correctional officers, which says that 3 out of 4 overtime shifts are filled voluntarily and that Maryland is not unlike many states across the country in having trouble filling correctional officer positions. She said that the administration has been negotiating with AFSCME in good faith and that the protest tactics “are an unfortunate setback in that process.”

Last week, the union filed an unfair labor practices claim against the administration.

“Our administration has a strong record of working with and supporting state employees, including providing a 2.5 percent raise and $500 bonus for every employee this fiscal year,” Chasse said.

In December, the union and Hogan agreed to a deal that gave state workers a 2 percent cost-of-living adjustment. Last month, Budget Secretary David Brinkley sent a letter notifying workers that they would receive a 0.5 percent increase and a $500 bonus on April 1, 2019.

Moran said the allowances are not enough and are less generous than agreements that other leaders, including in Pennsylvania and the District, have made with public employees.

Hogan has been endorsed by dozens of public safety unions, including many local chapters, but Jealous, a former NAACP president and longtime civil rights leader, has captured most of the labor support in the race, including AFSCME’s endorsement.

On Thursday, Jealous said in a statement that state employees “deserve a governor who values them as much as they value all of us. I support our public employees in their fight for fair pay and better working conditions — a no-brainer investment that benefits us all.”

Union leaders say their sour relationship with Hogan dates from 2015, the governor’s first year in office, when Hogan removed a 2 percent raise from the state budget. After pushback from unions and Democratic lawmakers, he agreed to move forward with the pay increases.

Via Washington Post 

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Ben Jealous is set to be the first African American and the next Maryland Governor.  Larry Hogan is going home due to uncontrolled corruption he has unleashed in Annapolis Maryland through Hogan’s Real Estate racket according to Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley. Vote Ben Jealous for Maryland Governor in 2018. 

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25

Oct. ’18

Everyone on the run as Arun Puracken goes after Corruption heads on – Here is the latest!

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Arun Puracken (seen here) is running against incumbent Sonya Williams in District 9

It appears the Prince George’s County and Maryland machinery led by Rushern Baker III is scared of Arun Puracken in as far as going out of the way to organize a scheme to stop his candidacy for the Board of Education. The latest comes after he was sued Friday by a woman alleging that he resides outside the district he is running to represent and has falsely claimed he lives in a Brandywine property that she owns.

Rhonda Pugh, a Clinton resident, said Puracken listed his address as a house she owns when he filed for candidacy, even though she has “never received any payment” from him and they have no “relationship, business or personal,” according to a lawsuit filed Friday in Prince George’s Circuit Court.

In her lawsuit, Pugh notes that in its initial campaign finance report, Puracken’s campaign cited an address in Bowie, outside the district, when reporting a loan he made to the campaign.

She is asking the court to prevent Puracken from identifying her property as his residence and remove him from the ballot in November.

Puracken, who is running against incumbent Sonya Williams in District 9, wrote in an email that he has never met Pugh but has “been paying monthly and have a room at the home that I would use.”

He called the lawsuit a “politically motivated way of sabotaging my campaign” and said he has lived in Pugh’s property at 12025 Cross Road Trail for the past year. He said he pays rent to Russell Bogle, whose mother has rented the property from Pugh since 2013.

As in anything else in a campaign, there are reports Arun Puracken’s opponent Sonya Williams is said to be very scared and nervous. There are reports she is on the run avoiding the media altogether after the latest episode touching on District 9.  This incident comes after Sydney Harrison found himself in a major water after disrespecting a female volunteer at Gwynn Park High School during back to school night.

In a swift rebuttal since the lawsuit was filed, Arun Puracken has denied the allegations through social media and stated the following:

“I am a resident of District 9 in Brandywine. I have lived in Brandywine since October 2017. I have paid rent monthly for my home in Brandywine since October 2017 and I have the records to prove this. My Drivers License was changed to my Brandywine address in October of 2017. I live in Brandywine and have done so since I filed my candidacy for the Board of Education last year in October of 2017. As I am writing this Facebook message, I am doing so from my home in Brandywine at the address in question. I also have a yard sign with my name on the property – just in case you were confused as to which home it was.

Please understand that this lawsuit was completely unexpected and shocking as the allegations against me are unfounded and untrue. I have never received a notice from the Prince George’s County or Maryland State Board of Elections investigating my residency status. Rest assured that my team of litigators will respond appropriately in due time.

The fear is real. The enemy is busy. I’m a teacher in this County. But now I see our campaign’s true power in shaking up the politics which plagues our system. I love Prince George’s County Public Schools. I attended PGCPS from K-12. I am grateful to serve as an educator here,”Arun Puracken wrote on facebook.

The members of the public were supportive and reactions swift on Facebook. Here is a sample of part of the reactions:

  •  Elizabeth Rodgers Masterson I am praying that the truth will come to light. You know you’re on the right track when the enemy comes at you full force. He’s running scared! Stay focused on the mission!
  • Kendrick Jackson You’re close to victory. You will prevail.
  • Maurice Kindle If PGCPS misses this opportunity to sit this man on the BoE of PGCPS, you, in my opinion, will be making a grave mistake.
  • Shayla Mitchell Shead Agree! Our kids cannot go through another 4 years with the current LACK of leadership!
  • Maurice Kindle Hang in there, Arun. As one person posted, You WILL prevail. Politics can sometimes drag people in the mud. Only the strongest survive.
  • Regina Bracey Keep pressing young man. What the enemy doesnt realize is that to make those of us angry only drives us to action. Same ole politics, no more. We want action! #VotePuracken
  • Tonya Wingfield Arun I’ve known you since you were in the 4th grade and knew immediately these were baseless allegations conspired by the establishment to maintain their control over the school system and kickbacks in contracts many members of the current board and some unions turn a blind eye to for their benefits. Sonya Williams has been ineffective as as a representative for children and must be replaced.
  • Shayla Mitchell Shead Yes she has ignored multiple invites to our PTO meetings. She works for us but only shows up during election time. Lying to voters about building new schools and how the Tanger outlet has brought in resources; not true and it’s Unacceptable!!!!! Vote Arun Puracken
  • Tonya Wilson Jackson Stay strong! You are an excellent educator! You have done so much for my daughter and the students of Accokeek Academy! We support you! Our school System needs you! #iamwitharun
  • Donna Dillard My God Arun Puracken the enemy must flee NOW IN THE NAME OF JESUS! Do not allow this to blimish Your Character or Dignity stay focused on what God has for you when He open a door no one can close it . You are the chosen one! Father in the name of Jesuswe decree and declare that the enemy will be exposed keep Arun focused on you. You said in your Word that no weapon formed against him will Prosper so I ask you now to remove the spirit of confusion, from his assignment. In the all powerful Name of Jesus. Amen and IT IS SO.
  • Mayor Eugene W. Grant Stand tall and strong Arun Puracken! The fight for justice, equity and inclusion comes with a price. The devil fears the thought of the presence of truth. You are the Truth , whole Truth and nothing but the Truth. God is with you and so am I. #GlobalMan
  • Mikki Tompkins The devil is busy..this shall pass. God got you, family and team.
  • Ade Meadow Jagz Bro! keep your one track mind.. dont let them shake you
  • Tia Hinds Like you said the Devil is busy but always remember what he meant for evil God can and he WILL turn it around for good. They want you out because you are a threat to the way things are ran in this county and especially this district and we are ready for change. Your yard sign is proudly placed in my front yard. Keep your head raised to the sky as he who is watching over you will never leave you nor forsake you.
  • Rob Anthony Keep pushing brother. The establishment is afraid of you. Don’t let the dirty politricks get you down.
  • Gwynn Roberson Wow, the devil is busy! We are still behind you 100% and praying this distraction doesn’t deter you from your mission to help our school system.
  • Yawnee McCollum This is crazy!!!!! I literally registered just for you bro. Stay strong and steadfast!!!! This is God’s plan!!! You will make your mark on this world!
  • Doris Reed Your opponent must be very nervous to pull such an obvious dirty trick. Hang tough.
  • Shukoor Ahmed Keep up the good work Arun and it looks you are doing well and the opposition is nervous
  • Meghan Sharkey Stowell District 9 resident here, and I am voting for you! We need teacher’s voices on our school board and I am grateful to have the opportunity to vote for you!!
  • Joe Jones I’ve been friends with your dad for almost 14 years now and I know you would never be on the wrong end of something like this
    The corruption of PG politics of the old timers is sickening
    #retiremiller
  • Deanie Anyangwe Praying for your peace of mind & your ability to persevere and come out strong at the end of all of this. So proud of you, kee doing God’s work 🙏🏾
  • Juanita Miller Stay focused! Keep your eyes 👁 👁 on the prize!!!
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    incumbent Sonya Williams in District 9 (seen here) is said to be very scared and nervous. She is said to be on the run with the machine after many events occurred in her district. She has not yet released a statement concerning what she knows.

     

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25

Oct. ’18

Major fiasco after O’Malley unleashes an exposé on Gov. Hogan in Gubernatorial race for Maryland

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Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley has taken off the grooves and appears to be going after Governor Larry Hogan heads on.

It’s been more than three months and another four years since Martin O’Malley hit the campaign trail in a Maryland governor’s race. Back in June of this year, O’Malley then was seen in Annapolis standing together at State House before the former governor endorsed the Prince George’s county Executive Rushern Baker III for Maryland Governor. Rushern Baker III lost the primary big time to Ben Jealous during the June 26th voting exercise.

Other than that, the only other time O’Malley showed up in the campaign trial was stumping for Anthony Brown, a Prince George’s County Democrat who had been his lieutenant governor for eight years.

It didn’t end well. Brown lost to Republican Larry Hogan in a state where Democrats vastly outnumber Republicans by 2 to 1. After the loss, Brown ran for congressional seat after Donna Edward retired from U.S House of representatives to run for U.S Senate and he won.

Yesterday the Democratic former governor, Baltimore mayor and presidential candidate is backing another major Democrat for governor who has no ties to the Maryland establishment: Ben Jealous.

And O’Malley’s reemergence on Maryland’s political scene is providing a major fiasco of the anti-Hogan rhetoric voters never saw it coming. Since Hogan at first helped to cover up shenanigans involving  the O’Malley administration, it now appears the grooves are finally coming off. O’Malley in a series of tweets attacked current Maryland Governor Larry Hogan for facilitating corruption in the state level. The following are some of the tweets, O’Malley wrote yesterday October 24th concerning Governor Larry Hogan’s corruption currently in progress in Maryland:

  • If any Maryland Governor prior to Trump, had made himself a double millionaire while in office with a land and permit assembly business, the newspapers and special prosecutor would be all over him.
  • Hogan and company, Hogan and friends, Hogan’s developer clients get whatever permits they want, whenever, and wherever they want. Most corrupt governor since Agnew.
  • Hogan’s Real Estate racket — No disclosure of client interests, not a single recusal on capital budget, decisions, and not a single abstention on any matter before Board of Public Works.
  • Ben Jealous is right. Larry Hogan’s Real Estate racket is, by its nature, corrupt. First governor in Maryland history to make himself a double millionaire while in office.

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According to Former Governor Martin O’Malley, “Ben Jealous is right. Larry Hogan’s Real Estate racket is, by its nature, corrupt. First governor in Maryland history to make himself a double millionaire while in office.”

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“Ben Jealous  (left)  and his running mate Susan Turnbull (right) are expected to make better governance than Larry Hogan who is accused of using his  Real Estate racket to enrich himself fraudulently.  vote Ben Jealous for Governor

Read more >>> Disaster! Here is Why Governor Larry Hogan should go home ASAP on November 6 at 8am.

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22

Oct. ’18

PGCPS fails to provide a registered nurse as over 2000 students and staff languishes in fear of sickness at Beltsville.

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Beltsville academy

Reform Sasscer Staff

Beltsville – According to information received from parents at Beltsville academy, Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) needs a full time nurse at Beltsville Academy. “A  school with close to 2,000 kids and adults and no nurse on grounds is a disaster in waiting,” stated one parent who wanted to remain anonymous.

PGCPS Beltsville academy is pre k to 8th. Some students have health issues and whenever a problem develops a teacher calls parents who have to pick their child up. Some have varying issues such as an upset tummy or other issues such as a cut. Others needs medication.  If the school had somewhere to lay down a student  for 10 minutes or so for minor health issues, one parent who did not want to be identified said, “they would have been fine.” But instead students are missing half a day at school and parents have missed work to attend to their loved ones. It would be helpful if there was a nurse at Beltsville academy  to assist the school community there as some of the students need medication regularly. It’s possible other schools with a large population of students in PGCPS and elsewhere need a full time nurse as well.

The school nurse has a crucial role in the seamless provision of comprehensive health services to children and youth. Increasing numbers of students enter schools with chronic health conditions that require management during the school day. This policy statement describes for pediatricians the role of the school nurse in serving as a team member in providing preventive services, early identification of problems, interventions, and referrals to foster health and educational success. To optimally care for children, preparation, ongoing education, and appropriate staffing levels of school nurses are important factors for success. Recommendations are offered to facilitate the working relationship between the school nurse and the child’s medical home.

SCHOOL NURSE ROLE

The National Association of School Nurses identifies 7 core roles that the school nurse fulfills to foster child and adolescent health and educational success. The roles are overarching and are applicable to school nurses at all levels of practice, in all geographic settings, and with all clients.

  1. The school nurse provides direct care to students. The school nurse provides care for injuries and acute illness for all students and long-term management of students with special health care needs. Responsibilities include assessment and treatment within the scope of professional nursing practice, communication with parents, referral to physicians, and provision or supervision of prescribed nursing care. An individualized health care plan is developed for students with chronic conditions, and when appropriate, an emergency plan is developed to manage potential emergent events in the school setting (eg, diabetes, asthma). Ideally, this health plan is aligned with the management plan directed by the child’s pediatrician and regularly updated through close communication. The school nurse is responsible for management of this plan and communication about the plan to all appropriate school personnel. The school nurse has a unique role in provision of school health services for children with special health needs, including children with chronic illnesses and disabilities of various degrees of severity. Children with special health needs are included in the regular school classroom setting as authorized by federal and state laws. As a leader of the school health team, the school nurse must assess the student’s health status, identify health problems that may create a barrier to educational progress, and develop a health care plan for management of the problems in the school setting. The school nurse ensures that the student’s individualized health care plan is part of the individualized education plan (IEP), when appropriate, and that both plans are developed and implemented with full team participation, which includes the student, family, and pediatrician.

  2. The school nurse provides leadership for the provision of health services As the health care expert within the school, the school nurse assesses the overall system of care and develops a plan for ensuring that health needs are met. Responsibilities include development of plans for responding to emergencies and disasters and confidential communication and documentation of student health information.

  3. The school nurse provides screening and referral for health conditions. Health screenings can decrease the negative effects of health problems on education by identifying students with potential underlying medical problems early and referring them for treatment as appropriate. Early identification, referral to the medical home, and use of appropriate community resources promote optimal outcomes. Screening includes but is not limited to vision, hearing, and BMI assessments (as determined by local policy).

  4. The school nurse promotes a healthy school environment. The school nurse provides for the physical and emotional safety of the school community by monitoring immunizations, ensuring appropriate exclusion for infectious illnesses, and reporting communicable diseases as required by law. In addition, the school nurse provides for the safety of the environment by participating in environmental safety monitoring (playgrounds, indoor air quality, and potential hazards). The school nurse also participates in implementation of a plan for prevention and management of school violence, bullying, disasters, and terrorism events. The school nurse may also coordinate with school counselors in developing suicide prevention plans. In addition, if a school determines that drug testing is a part of its program, school nurses should be included in school district and community planning, implementation, and ongoing evaluation of this testing program.

  5. The school nurse promotes health. The school nurse provides health education by providing health information to individual students and groups of students through health education, science, and other classes. The school nurse assists on health education curriculum development teams and may also provide programs for staff, families, and the community. Health education topics may include nutrition, exercise, smoking prevention and cessation, oral health, prevention of sexually transmitted infections and other infectious diseases, substance use and abuse, immunizations, adolescent pregnancy prevention, parenting, and others. School nurses also promote health in local school health councils.

  6. The school nurse serves in a leadership role for health policies and programs. As a health care expert within the school system, the school nurse is a leader in the development and evaluation of school health policies. These policies include health promotion and protection, chronic disease management, coordinated school health programs, school wellness policies, crisis/disaster management, emergency medical condition management, mental health protection and intervention, acute illness management, and infectious disease prevention and management.

  7. The school nurse is a liaison between school personnel, family, health care professionals, and the community. The school nurse participates as the health expert on the IEP and 504 teams. IEP teams identify the special education needs of students; 504 teams plan for reasonable accommodations for students’ special needs that impact their educational programs. As the case manager for students with health problems, the school nurse ensures that there is adequate communication and collaboration among the family, physicians, and providers of community resources. This is a crucial interface for the pediatrician and the school nurse to ensure consistent, coordinated care. The school nurse also works with community organizations and primary care physicians to make the community a healthy place for all children and families.

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    Beltsville academy

 

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Posted by . Categories: PGCPS fails to provide a registered nurse as over 2000 students and staff languishes in fear of sickness. Tags: . 4 Comments

22

Oct. ’18

Lawsuit alleges PGCPS board candidate does not live in the district where he is running – Machine out to stop Arun Puracken.

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HANDOUT – Arun Puracken, 28, is a native Prince Georgian and middle school teacher at Accokeek Academy who is running for the Prince George’s School Board. (Kenny Harris/Kenny Harris) – Prince George’s County machine is out to stop Arun Puracken.
“Arun Puracken, a Prince George’s County school board candidate, was sued Friday by a woman alleging that he resides outside the district he is running to represent and has falsely claimed he lives in a Brandywine property that she owns.

Arun Puracken, a Prince George’s County school board candidate, was sued Friday by a woman alleging that he resides outside the district he is running to represent and has falsely claimed he lives in a Brandywine property that she owns.

Rhonda Pugh, a Clinton resident, said Puracken listed his address as a house she owns when he filed for candidacy, even though she has “never received any payment” from him and they have no “relationship, business or personal,” according to a lawsuit filed Friday in Prince George’s Circuit Court.

In her lawsuit, Pugh notes that in its initial campaign finance report, Puracken’s campaign cited an address in Bowie, outside the district, when reporting a loan he made to the campaign.

She is asking the court to prevent Puracken from identifying her property as his residence and remove him from the ballot in November.

Puracken, who is running against incumbent Sonya Williams in District 9, wrote in an email that he has never met Pugh but has “been paying monthly and have a room at the home that I would use.”

He called the lawsuit a “politically motivated way of sabotaging my campaign” and said he has lived in Pugh’s property at 12025 Cross Road Trail for the past year. He said he pays rent to Russell Bogle, whose mother has rented the property from Pugh since 2013.

Pugh alleged in the complaint that Bogle allowed Puracken to use the address to qualify for the race in District 9. She said she has owned the property since 2005 and rented it to Lynne Bogle since 2013.

Puracken said the dispute “seems to be a landlord-tenant issue” and that he plans to remain on the ballot.

Prince George’s Council member Derrick Leon Davis (D-District 6) said he was disappointed when he learned about the lawsuit and wished there had been more state oversight of candidate qualifications.

“There has to be more integrity, but beyond that, the rules have to be rules — it’s the state’s job to enforce them,” he said.

Puracken and Williams were the top vote-getters in a four-way primary race in the district. Their race is one of four that voters will decide Nov. 6, following an election season that has been dominated by discussion about how to improve the jurisdiction’s struggling schools.

Infighting on the board — which since 2013 has been a hybrid model that includes both elected and appointed members — has spilled into public view, and the new board will vote on a permanent replacement for former schools chief executive Kevin M. Maxwell, who resigned amid controversy.

Puracken is a native of Prince George’s and a middle school teacher at the public Accokeek Academy in the district. He said this summer that his time in the classroom opened his eyes to inequity in the school system and “negligence” by the board.

Puracken, a graduate of the University of Maryland at Baltimore County, said he favors a return to a fully elected school board.

Williams, a civil engineer, said this summer that the board has been hurt by a lack of stable leadership, and she does not think it matters whether members are appointed or elected. She was appointed to an open seat in 2014 and elected to a four-year term a year later. She said she is running for a second term to continue addressing issues such as aging infrastructure in the district’s schools.

Williams did not respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit against Puracken.

via Washington Post

Read more >>>Lawsuit: School board candidate doesn’t live in district

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According to Tonya Wingfield (Seen here), on Facebook, “This is a silly lawsuit brought on by fear of an establishment candidate losing. I’ve know Arun since he was a fourth grader in this school system. He’s always been a man of integrity. He met the residency requirements. Ms. Pugh should have to pay all court cost for filing this baseless suit and wasting taxpayers money.”

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According to Theresa Mitchell Dudley (Seen here) on facebook, “Arun Puracken is a qualified candidate. He is a professional educator and lives in the district. Williams was very complicit with Maxwell and abstained from voting on his severance package for political reasons. We need a teacher on the BOE. Arun is being targeted. I have never heard of such nonsense. Filing a lawsuit?”

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22

Oct. ’18

Attorney: Prince George’s Co. Public Schools security admitted to installing hidden camera in school

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By: Lindsay Watts

WASHINGTON – The attorney for three Prince George’s County Public Schools employees suing over a hidden camera says the school system has provided no explanation about why the camera was placed in the principal’s office at Charles H. Flowers High School.

“To date, we haven’t received an explanation,” said Erick Tyrone of The Tyrone Law Group. “Certainly not one that’s been sufficient.”

The camera was disguised as a smoke detector and was discovered at the school in April. According to the lawsuit, it had been there recording video for more than two years.

The three people suing are Flowers principal Gorman Brown, former resident principal Mar-C Holland and secretary Donna Bussey. All are claiming that what happened has caused them emotional and mental distress.

The lawsuit says not only did the staff members and their kids occasionally use the office to change clothes, but so did students on the Flowers Pom and Dance Team.

The principal’s office is part of a larger suite that includes a bathroom and shower, according to the lawsuit.

“Where the camera was placed, I think it was at least a possible that you could have seen someone entering or leaving that restroom,” said Tyrone.

He says soon after the camera was discovered, someone who works with the school district’s Security Services admitted to installing it and named the person within Security Services who gave those instructions. But Tyrone says he believes authorization for this would have to go higher up the chain of command.

“Someone from the administrative, from the Prince George’s County school board, apparently is the one that authorized the Security Services to place the camera,” he said.

FOX 5 asked if there could be any set of circumstances where what happened was legal.

“If there was a subpoena,” he said. “If they had used the appropriate channels to go through the police or through the state’s attorney’s office to get a subpoena to have the surveillance taking place. Then potentially it could have been legal.”

No one from Prince George’s County police or the school district has publicly indicated the camera was part of a law enforcement investigation.

The camera was discovered on April 13, according to the lawsuit.

It says an assistant principal was looking for security footage after a hit-and-run in the parking lot.

He clicked on a school system camera labeled “main lobby” and realized it was a live feed of the principal’s office.

He alerted resident principal Holland who was in the office at the time. The lawsuit says that Holland pulled up the camera on her computer and was able to see herself at her desk. She found the hidden camera in a smoke alarm in the corner.

At a press conference on April 16, Prince George’s County Police Chief Hank Stawinski said the case was under investigation by the police department’s Public Corruption Squad, that he didn’t believe the camera was intended for criminal purposes and that it was unclear who placed the camera. Soon after, the FBI joined the investigation to help analyze data.

There has been no update from police on the investigation since then.

A spokesman for Prince George’s County Public Schools says there is no comment on the case because of the ongoing police investigation.

The three employees are asking for an undetermined amount in damages.

Via Fox5 DC

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22

Oct. ’18

ACLU joins students’ challenge to PGCPS System’s summer school tuition prices as real Corruption Kicks in.

pgcps-busesBy Debbie Truong

The American Civil Liberties Union has joined four Prince George’s students’ challenge to a summer school tuition policy, arguing the costs are too burdensome for some families and inhibit students from graduating.

Debbie Jeon, legal director with ACLU of Maryland, said charging tuition for summer school violates state law requiring free public education. Many students enroll in the summer session to make up classes they didn’t complete or pass during the school year but are required for graduation, also known as “credit recovery.”

“Maryland’s Constitution promises all families a free public education for their children,” Jeon said. “If students are required by the school system to take core courses like English and math . . . to progress to the next grade and ultimately to graduate, the system can’t then impose high financial fees that make it impossible for some students to do so.”

Spokeswoman Raven Hill said the school system charged $455 per class in summer 2018, noting that nearly all Maryland districts charge for summer school. Hill did not respond to specific questions about the ACLU’s assertion that the policy violates state law.

Prince George’s students who qualify for free and reduced meal prices, a signifier of financial need, can have up to 25 percent of tuition for one class waived, district documents state.

The reduced tuition is still too costly for many families, said Grace Reusing, a Maryland public defender. The district, she said, “has the most expensive summer school program in the state, and they have the most inadequate waiver for low-income families.” In summer 2018, Montgomery County charged up to $300 per class for county residents and $340 for nonresidents.

Reusing said she sent letters to Prince George’s school district officials in March and May requesting the 134,000-student system waive four students’ summer tuition entirely. The waivers were denied June 27, days before summer school began, she said.

She appealed the decision and expects the Prince George’s Board of Education to rule on the appeal at an executive session during Tuesday’s board meeting.

“Prince George’s County Public Schools have priced summer school out of the reach of the students who need it the most,” Reusing said.

One of the students, Reusing said, is taking classes at an alternative school. Reusing has requested the district reimburse another student who paid for a less expensive online summer course.

The ACLU has promised to sue the school system over its summer school fees and waiver policy if the district refuses to waive the four students’ tuition.

“The ACLU will have no choice but to pursue litigation to address this serious constitutional violation undermining the rights of Prince George’s County students to a free public school education,” the letter read.

Theresa Jackson’s 18-year-old son was eight credits short of graduating from DuVal High School in the spring. He planned to enroll in two summer school classes, which would have cost about $796 — an expense too steep for Jackson, a single mother of four. Many Prince George’s students, she said, drop out because their families are unable to pay.

Jackson assumed her son would remain enrolled at DuVal and complete the credits he needed to graduate this school year. But a clerical error, she said, kept him out of school. Her son, she said, is losing his desire to return to classes.

“I honestly feel like it’s too late at this point,” she said. “Hopefully, other children don’t have to suffer like my son did.”

Via Washington Post

Read more >>> ACLU joins students’ fight against summer school fees in Prince George’s County

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