Tag Archives: Corruption in Education

06

Dec. ’19

Maryland State School Superintendent Karen Salmon stepping down in June amid widespread Public Corruption.

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State Superintendent of Maryland Schools Dr. Karen B. Salmon is not seeking another four-year contract, the state school board chair announced Tuesday afternoon.

Baltimore, Md. (Reform Sasscer) – Maryland State Schools Superintendent Karen Salmon, who oversaw the introduction of a complex new school accountability system and helped cover up misconduct in Prince George’s County, will step down in June. The state school board chair, (rt. Air Force Brig. Gen. Warner I. Sumpter) announced her resignation, Tuesday afternoon.

Baltimore sun was among the first newspapers to report.  However, details on public corruption in Prince George’s county linked to the Maryland state Board of Education were missing.

Salmon had until Dec. 1 to inform the board whether she would seek another four-year contract when she informed Sumpter that she would leave.

“She did contact me before that date, just decided that she preferred to move on. As far as I know, if she had shown an interest, the board would have voted for her to remain. “She has done a tremendous job,” Sumpter said according to Baltimore sun.

Former state board member Andy Smarick, who served as chair during her tenure, agreed.

“Dr. Salmon is a top-flight administrator — one of the most able public-sector managers I’ve seen,” said Smarick. “She is also a lifelong educator who cares a great deal about kids and public schools.”

However, Smarick’s statement was contradicted by an email cc’d to Dr. Salmon on June 27th, 2019 by Josephat Mua. This email highlighted various aspects of ongoing public corruption involving Dr. Godson and problems in Prince George’s County Public Schools in which the state Superintendent Salmon failed to act. (See attachment email at the bottom).

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Maryland Superintendent Karen Salmon, Montpelier Elementary School Principal Carla Furlow and Prince George’s County school CEO Monica Goldson mark the first day of school.(WTOP/Kate Ryan)

Inadequate Monitoring

Corruption thrives where principals (the rank and file) cannot effectively control their agents (union officers) or hold them accountable. External monitoring of union officers is weak as seen in Prince George’s County. Past reports concerning union corruption have pointed out that “it is all too easy for racketeers to control and exploit, in part because there is no effective mechanism for policing internal union affairs. The Landrum-Griffin Act was passed in an attempt to assure that workers would be represented by democratic unions” (Goldstock et al. 1990, 49).

In the 1980s, congressional hearings surfaced sharp criticism of the Department of Labor’s failure to monitor unions and their pension and welfare funds effectively (Jacobs and Mullin 2003). Because the Department of Labor’s “primary mission is to resolve labor-management problems [,] this necessarily requires good working relations with high-ranking labor officials and makes investigating and enforcing the complaints . . . against top labor officials at best awkward and, at worst, a conflict of interest” (Goldstock et al. 1990, 181).

Career of over 40 years of work in public education

Salmon did not say whether she is retiring, but a statement released from the Maryland State Department of Education said, “This culminates a distinguished career of over 40 years of work in public education.”

The search for a replacement will begin almost immediately with the hiring of a search firm, Sumpter said.

“This is usually the time of the year when most school systems are looking for their superintendents,” he said, “so the quicker you move the better off you are to bring in the largest pool of candidates.”

Salmon, whose job involves helping set education policy for the state, brought some stability to a bureaucracy that had had four superintendents in five years when she arrived in 2016. Before that leadership turnover, Nancy Grasmick held the job for two decades.

Salmon will leave on June 30, 2020, when her contract expires. By state regulations, superintendents in Maryland are all appointed for four-year terms that begin July 1.

When she was hired in 2016, the state was designing a new accountability system that would assign stars to schools. She oversaw the release of the second set of data on Tuesday, hours before the announcement that she would be leaving.

The school board voted unanimously in public to hire the former Talbot County superintendent more than three years ago, however, behind closed doors some board members had reservations. She had years of experience in education on the Eastern Shore before taking a job briefly in New York State. Salmon was an interim deputy state superintendent in Maryland before becoming superintendent. She continued to live in Talbot County, commuting to either Baltimore or a state office in Annapolis for work. In the early stages of her tenure, she worked closely under corrupt previous State Superintendent Dr. Lilian Lowery, who resigned under a cloud of corruption.

One of Salmon’s more controversial decisions came in May 2018 when Salmon blocked the Baltimore County school board’s appointment of Verletta White, a long-time educator in the county as the school’s superintendent. The move was unusual because state superintendents have rarely intervened in a local school board hiring process.

In this case, Salmon said the county had not completed an audit of contracts following the conviction of former superintendent Dallas Dance. White had worked for Dance.

Dr. William Hite Jr fiasco with Monica

However, there appears to have been a double standard when it came to PGCPS CEO Dr. Monica Goldson. Goldson engaged in well-known misconduct with Dr. William Hite Jr. during Dr. William Hite’s tenure in PGCPS. Goldson left her husband and filed for divorce due to an affair. Confirmed reports say that Dr. Monica Goldson was dating Dr. William Hite Jr when she initiated her divorce proceedings from her husband Mr. Lyndell Goldson on or around 11/03/2008. ( See Case # CAD08-32088 GOLDSON VS GOLDSON). For those who are not familiar with Dr. William Hite Jr, the corruption in Prince George’s County was fueled by him, and this blog initiated a vote of “No confidence.” Consequently, he left the county ASAP due to serious issues he was engaged in. (See Some leaders in PGCPS – Heart of the problems in Schools) Before transferring to Philly, local investigations were partially done on Dr. William Hite and issues covered up. Dr. William Hite promoted Monica Goldson before he left and was pulling the strings from afar in PGCPS for many years and still does. Dr. Hite then jumped ship out of fear of being fired and prosecuted for money laundering, willful neglect of duty inter alia. There was a $10 million bribe scheme tied to Prince George’s County Community College’s President, Dr. Charlene Dukes. Dukes was bribed by Dr. William Hite in order to advance corruption and interfere with the judgment of Josephat Mua.  

Once established in  Philadelphia School District, he has been misusing the district to advance his own personal interest at the expense of the public. Here he has been calling the shots in PGCPS from afar. This kind of willful misconduct does not advance goodwill for the people of Maryland. Prince George’s County citizenry must reject this kind of arrangement and demand proper investigations. In addition, Dr. Monica Goldson should resign as a CEO for Prince George’s County Schools.

Ever since Dr. Monica Goldson was appointed PGCPS CEO, there has been widespread interference of Federal and State laws to suit her illegal agenda. However, Dr. Salmon has largely looked the other way despite clear and convincing evidence of willful neglect of duty. The union’s executives currently in Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS), Theresa Dudley of Prince George’s County Education Association (PGCEA), Doris Reed of Association of Supervisory and Administrative School Personnel (ASASP), and Mr. James Spears of ACE-AFSCME Local 2250 have been compromised. This interference might be having an impact on parents, teachers, students and other staff in Prince George’s County. Personnel well connected to the executives are well received and covered up by the unions, while others who try to report wrongdoing within the county organization are victimized and fired.

In other words, the role of the Unions in Prince George’s County has become meaningless due to personal greed, as reported earlier. It’s a timely reminder that in Monica Goldson’s vision, public service is an amorphous concept. What matters, from the CEO’s perspective, is service to her. Loyalty to the county, state, nation and the rule of law are nice ideas, but CEO Monica Goldson expects and demands fealty to her and her own interests – above all other considerations. The entire Prince George’s County school district is a very hostile work environment due to all cover ups. Many teachers and administrators are gearing for mass transfers in addition to some taking legal actions to protect themselves due to the effect of the corrupt unions.

Furthermore, the union corruption, which is well known in this county and facilitated by senior administrators such as President Charlene Dukes of Prince George’s County Community college and others connected to her at the Maryland State Board of Education, is not helping with matters. In addition, not surprisingly corrupt union officials, whether or not connected to organized crime figures, engage in “ordinary” organizational corruption, such as misappropriation of funds. The most distinctive form of corruption by union officials is taking employers’ bribes to ignore violations of the collective bargaining contract as happens in PGCPS in many cases, or even to allow employers to operate nonunion. This must end ASAP and the racist management of the Maryland State Education Association (MSEA) must be reformed to include minorities in Maryland.

Political Corruption legalized by the Maryland State Institutions.

When discussing corruption in the Governor Larry Hogan era, it’s easy to focus on the most flagrant examples such as the real estate fiasco in Prince George’s County. In his statement yesterday, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan stated he has been leading the fight for more accountability, pushing to raise academic standards and to root out mismanagement and corruption in local school systems. However, his statement is contradicted by his own administration in which the Maryland Court system is being used to punish teachers, parents, and other staff members who have spoken out against public corruption prevailing in Maryland. Easier to miss is the more innocuous and pedestrian ways that money—especially large sums of it—shapes American political corruption.

The State of Maryland working in conspiracy with Prince George’s County public schools and the county government is involved in a shameful display of shenanigans in which PGCPS and Unions executives have engaged in willful misconduct which is currently being covered up by the state. For example, court judgment orders are being used to shield nominal parties starting with Dr. Monica Goldson, (CEO) Prince George’s County Public Schools, Dr. William R. Hite Jr, Pirre D. Dickson, Synthia J Shillings, Roger Thomas, ACE-AFSCME Local 2250, American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees, (AFSCME). They ought to by law and in equity to be fully bound and obligated to answer charges and crimes in which they committed without being protected through the court by judges whom they are said to be bribing. For example, the order issued by the Maryland Court of Special Appeals in the case brought by Josephat Mua against PGCPS, Dr. Monica Goldson, Dr. William Hite Jr, et al, lists the wrong case No. CAL11369952 instead of CAL1136992. The order issued by the Maryland Court of Special Appeals lists the Board of Education for Prince George’s County as Appellee and not Appellees. The Judgment dated and entered in the above-entitled action on 9th, July 2019 should be amended to include Dr. Monica Goldson and Dr. William Hite Jr. as additional parties who engaged in willful misconduct as Defendants.

This is public corruption driven by the state and Prince George’s County citizens must stand up and demand answers because institutional racism is involved in various agencies within the state.

Willful miscon­duct occurs when a person intentionally acts or fails to act knowing that (his, her) conduct will probably result in injury or damage. Willful misconduct can also occur when “a person acts in so reckless a manner or fails to act in circumstances where an act is clearly required, so as to indicate disregard of (his, her) action or inaction. A party claiming willful misconduct must show an “intentional act of unreasonable character performed in disregard of a known or obvious risk so great as to make it highly probable that harm would result.” The willful misconduct standard is similar to the gross negligence standard; however, it focuses more on the harm that a party’s action or inaction caused.

In addition, the parents and Prince George’s County employees must demand action due to the Union shenanigans currently at play in Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) and illegal interference of the Maryland court system. At the moment, local court systems are hijacked by the cartels and tied to union corruption due to a lack of external monitoring of union officers in Maryland.

The American legal court system is supposed to address various grievances without fear or favor and it’s supposed to interpret the laws of the land to reduce the reality or appearance of corruption in American political, social, economic frameworks. In recent years, however, this regulatory regime has lent corruption a legal structure in which to flourish.

The announcement of Salmon’s departure was made at the state school board meeting in Baltimore. Sumpter said he would like to hire a replacement by April, if possible.

Call your local elected representatives and state officials. Demand answers ASAP on PGCPS shenanigans led by PGCEA, MSEA, AFSCME International and ASASP Union corruption currently in progress in Prince George’s County! Demand corrective actions immediately. #Resist #DrMonicaGoldsonResign 

(More on this developing story later)

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Posted by . Categories: Maryland state school Superintendent Karen Salmon stepping down in June amid widespread Public Corruption., Uncategorized. Tags: , , , . 5 Comments

17

Nov. ’13

Teacher’s resignation letter:

…‘My profession … no longer exists’

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Increasingly teachers are speaking out against school reforms that they believe are demeaning their profession, and some are simply quitting because they have had enough. Here is one resignation letter from a veteran teacher, Gerald J. Conti, a social studies teacher at Westhill High School in Syracuse, N.Y as highlighted by Washingtonpost.: >>> Read more Resignation letter

OPINION

Freedom of speech, press, assembly, and petition have long been celebrated as crucial to democratic government. United States Supreme Court decisions have, quite rightly, justified strong protection of these freedoms because of their crucial role in the functioning of American democracy.

The Supreme Court has often noted the crucial function of free speech and press for democratic government. In Stromberg v. California (1931), Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes’ opinion for the Court said “a fundamental principle of our constitutional system” is “the maintenance of the opportunity for free discussion to the end that government may be responsive to the will of the people. ” 1 In Roth v. United States (1957), the Court said that “[t]he protection given speech and press was fashioned to assure unfettered interchange of ideas for the bringing about of political and social changes desired by the people.” 2 Seven years later, the Supreme Court decided New York Times v. Sullivan, a case involving an Alabama public official who sued the Times for libel based on an advertisement. The ad had criticized the way state government officials responded to civil rights demonstrations. The Court said, “the First Amendment . . . ‘presupposes that right conclusions are more likely to be gathered out of a multitude of tongues, than through any kind of authoritative selection. . . .’ ” 3 The modern Supreme Court has often quoted a famous concurring opinion by Justice Louis Brandeis in Whitney v. California (1927): the preferred remedy for “falsehood and fallacies” is “more speech, not enforced silence.” 4 In the United States, freedom of the press, in particular, has been celebrated for its role in checking government misconduct and informing the electorate.

As demonstrated here in Maryland and in Prince George’s county, Unable to counter sense, dissent and the struggle for more democratic space with arguments, the powerful make the messengers the culprits, abuse and demean them, and finally just censor or close them down instead of embracing good ideas enacted by teachers and other staff members within the school district.

Let us remember that in the absence of writing and exchanging good ideas, many staffers in this country are likely to leave in the absence of exposure. Many years ago, our media was the songs, stories and dance used to celebrate the achievements of the community. But the same songs and stories were also used to devastating effect as accountability tools, to criticize leaders when they went wrong, point out vices (especially of selfishness and greed) among prominent people, and satirise those who focused only on themselves rather than the community.

Freedoms are and have always been universal. So has the demand for them. And it is the oppressed and underdogs who always value them more than those in power.

Maryland State Board of Education leaders led by Dr. Lillian Lowery and Dr. Charlene Dukes who are involved in conflict of interest better be more careful with their actions including speeches lest they be remembered in the same breath as colonialists, slave-owners and supporters of apartheid.

Of course supporters of colonialism, slavery and apartheid also use these same freedoms to perpetuate their oppression. That is as it should be in democratic societies. But because they can’t win the argument, logically and rationally, they then resort to abuse, venom, and stigmatization. When that does not work, they eventually go down the road of strong-arm tactics like censorship, bans, illegal decisions, imprisonment and killings.

To them, the constitution is just a piece of paper which they embrace when it suits them and discard when it does not. People can no longer express themselves freely anymore and give proper solutions to society. This is not the Maryland we want our future generations to inherit.

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>>> Attend Common Core protest at MSDE…on November 18, 2013. Call your elected officials now and the media. Demand changes due to Maryland State Board of Education leaders involved in corruption and abuse of power. (video)

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Dr. Lillian M. Lowery Maryland State Superintendent  of schools has been criticized for showing very poor leadership skills in various ways including discriminatory conduct and received an F grade for Common Core meetings so far.

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In our opinion, We aver and therefore believe Maryland State Board of Education President Dr. Charlene Dukes shown here has demonstrated a culture of corrupt leadership style and continues “an integrated pattern of pay to play” and manipulation during her tenure.

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Posted by . Categories: Accountability, Corruption and cover up Report in PGCPS, Corruption in Education, Lawlessness, Morally dead situation, New era of school governance. Tags: , , . Leave a comment

20

Oct. ’13

Prince George’s Schools CEO…

…names transition team and serious concerns emanate

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Kevin M. Maxwell, the Chief Executive Officer of Prince George’s County Public Schools.

Prince George’s County Schools Chief Executive Officer Kevin Maxwell has selected a transition team to analyze the school system and offer recommendations on how to move the struggling system forward.

The 32-member panel, which includes local and regional educators, is scheduled to hold its first meeting on Monday.

“This transition team will help me to determine the needs for the district and the appropriate next steps as it relates to key areas of school operations,” Maxwell said in a statement.

The committee will review data, conduct interviews, determine the district’s strengths and identify areas the need additional attention. It will also focus on teaching and learning, communication, how to use resources and the organizational structure.

Maxwell became the district’s eighth school superintendent in 14 years in August. He took over the system following a contentious debate over the future of the county schools.

Earlier this year, County Executive Rushern L. Baker III (D) asked the General Assembly to approve a bill that would give him control over the school system. Under a compromise bill, Baker received the power to select the schools chief, name three members to an expanded school board, and choose the board chair and vice chair.

The team members are:

Maryland Superintendent of Schools Lillian Lowery; Prince George’s Deputy Superintendent Monique Davis; Prince George’s County Community College President Charlene Dukes; Douglass Anthony, the executive director of the school system’s Human Capital Management; Maritza Gonzalez, the school system’s Latino affairs officer; Max Pugh, the school system’s acting communications officer; Pamela Shetley, the director of Human Capital Management; Frederick Douglass High School principal Rudolph Saunders; Oxon Hill Middle School principal Wendell Coleman; Cesar Chavez Elementary School principal Jose Taboada II; Gladys Noon Spellman Elementary School principal Susan Holiday; Albert Lewis, the 2013 Teacher of the Year; Earnest Moore, the president of the county’s PTA Council; Kenneth Haines, president of the Prince George’s County Educators’ Association; Shirley Adams, president of AFSME (Local 2250); Carnell Reed, president of SEIU (Local 400); Dwayne Jones, president of the principals’ union; Rukayat Muse-Ariyoh, the student school board member; Betty Morgan, the former Washington County school superintendent; Lethia Jackson, who works in the computer science department at Bowie State University; Diane Lee, the vice provost and dean of Undergraduate Education at the University of Maryland in Baltimore County; Linda Ferrell, the former deputy chief of teaching and learning for the District of Columbia Public Schools; Joe Hairston, the president of Visions Unlimited and former Baltimore County school superintendent; Aggie Alva, vice president of product marketing and communications at Discovery Communications; Leslie Fenwick, the dean of the School of Education at Howard University; Shawn Joseph, the superintendent of the Seaford School District in Delaware; Zakiya Lee, assistant to the senior vice chancellor at the University System of Maryland; Pat Martin, assistant vice president of the College Board; Christian Rhodes, Baker’s education policy advisor; Susan Marks, the former superintendent of the Norwalk School District in Connecticut; Donna Wiseman, dean of the University of Maryland College of Education; Bob Wise, the former West Virginia governor of president Alliance for Excellent Education.

The transition team is scheduled to finish its work in December and submit a report to the Board of Education. >>> Read more Washington Post

OPINION

Reform Sasscer Movement for Prince George’s county is challenging Prince George’s county citizens to be prepared to make sacrifices for their county and to protect the gains already achieved while they seek for more. We must make sacrifices to build on the gains achieved so far and learn from America’s experiences especially in the field of protection of rights and decentralization of power and resources.

Martin Luther King Jr., George Washington and others who fought for freedom knew that freedom is not given; it must be won through struggle, persistence and faith in the future.

As we have mobilized political leaders, we have been a witness to history. In our own small way, we have contributed to the history of our county. We have been a witness as the tide of history turned in our county as a model for others. As participants in some of the events that changed our county school system. As residents and workers we have pushed forward toward freedom and we can tell you nothing comes easy, and surrender cannot be an option at this time.

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Dr. Lillian M. Lowery Maryland State Superintendent  of schools has been criticized for showing very poor leadership skills in various ways and received an F grade for Common Core meetings so far.

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Maryland State Board of Education President Dr. Charlene Dukes shown here has demonstrated a culture of corrupt leadership style and continues “an integrated pattern of pay to play” and manipulation.

Now this brings us to the raging debate on why an appointment was made of such a large group (32) to review an issue which led to the appointment of Dr. Kevin Maxwell as the CEO of Prince George’s County public schools. Before he interviewed and accepted the job, we had already identified “the top priorities“. So what happened?   In our honest opinion, this appointment of two of the top leadership (Dr. Lillian Lowery and Dr. Charlene Dukes) to run the affairs of the county is dishonest, misplaced and hypocritical. First, Charlene Dukes who served as a previous Board member during a time of high levels of corruption should be viewed with a lot of suspicion.  Why would any leader thrive in the suffering of his or her people who either freely elected him or her or surrendered all authority to him or her to govern? What was the purpose of appointing the expanded Board of Education and their supposedly expertise of some of the new members? If a grievance arose of such a group who will resolve it given Dr. Lillian Lowery and Dr. Charlene Dukes are supposedly neutral of which they are not? Isn’t what they are doing illegal and creates a conflict of interest? Why appoint someone and then follow him to throw your power/ weight around? Where is the outrage?

The current group led by Dr. Charlene Dukes and Dr. Lillian Lowery is comprised of a bunch of people without a clue of what has been going on. While some of them are good men and women, How are they going to make recommendations to solve a problem within the county they do not even understand or believe in themselves? The people of Prince George’s County needs a chance to come up with their own solutions. Top of their list should be eliminate the current group (32) which has their own selfish agenda to derail the progress made so far. The Unions need to be reformed first, we do not expect them to shoot themselves on their feet. Do you? How about Mr. Dwayne Jones (President ASASP) mentioned in our blogs? Does anyone in their right mind expect him to reform the principal’s union? Mr. Jones does not even have time to add a message to his followers on the website. We do not think so…

The Washington post article mentions that, “The transition team is scheduled to finish its work in December and submit a report to the Board of Education.”  The poor unfortunate Prince Georges children and their parents deserve better than this. Take a look at some of those names on the “team”. Same people with the same philosophy. This is the ultimate definition of insanity. This was never about anything but raw political power to some of these people.

Power, they say, does not flow along the lines of an organization’s organograms; power is fluid and often asymmetrical.

Access is power, those who have unlimited access to leaders often tend to have more power and influence on decision-making processes than elected leaders holding seemingly powerful positions.

As political historian Hedrick Smith writes in his book, The Power Game – HowWashington Works’ access to a president means involvement in major decisions and actions of the State. Smith writes the most vital ingredients of power are often intangible. Information is power. Visibility around the president or his deputy is power and so is access to the inner sanctums of government.

The fear of political manipulation and arbitrariness in Prince George’s County Board of Education duties has led several Board members to question the new order of doing Business. They are correct.  The HB1107 did not create space to include such a large number of personal friends to investigate themselves.

A great deal of criticism should be directed at the Maryland state Board of Education by various parties as a result of several errors committed by the state agency in managing the affairs of the county and Maryland as a state.

In our view and consistent to those expressed by many others, beyond seeking justice, we must entertain self-preservation as a key motive of the Maryland state Board of Education. The Maryland state Board of Education must demonstrate results to funding county Boards and various interest groups. This motive raises the probability of miscarriage of justice and selective prosecution as is quite apparent in the several cases lately.

Under the current structure, Maryland state Board of Education is likely to continue losing support. Its scope of powers and especially the office of the Attorney General is too broad and wide open to political manipulation that it would be irrational to expect fair adjudication of justice.

Unless serious reforms are undertaken to ensure Maryland state Board of Education can be trusted to execute justice fairly, it will continue digging its own grave and in the process undermining justice.

In essence, Folks, there’s no more doubt. Maryland state Board of Education is its own worst enemy and living to the claims of a state agency. It does not have the capacity and the expertise to do what is right for the children of the state of Maryland.  The time to act is now.  We have got a runaway state board of education with no oversight, not subject to election, and doing reforms not subject to legislative review.  All without citizen input nor consent.  And wielding a billion dollar budget. The future of Maryland state Board of Education is either radical reforms or a funeral. We must say “NO” to the latest shenanigans.

When you see us pushing for these things, we hope you will understand where we are coming from. We have seen freedoms taken away and opportunities frustrated and killed and we have learnt that if we sit back, nobody will apologize and say sorry. The powerful just move on while the poor and the weak suffer.

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Posted by . Categories: Accountability, ASASP UNION, Child Abuse in PGCPS, Corruption in Education, Embattled Superintendent, Lawlessness, Lilian Lowery, Morally dead situation, New era of school governance, PGCPS Audacity to squander, Pgcps corruption, Pgcps Mess, Protest, Rot that is PGCPS Sasscer, Union corruption, Union henchman threatens Beloved Maryland Senator.. Tags: , , , , . 4 Comments

03

Feb. ’13

PGCPS considers copyright policy that takes ownership of students’ work

By Ovetta Wiggins, Feb 03, 2013 01:32 AM EST

The Washington Post Published: February 2

A proposal by the Prince George’s County Board of Education to copyright work created by staff and students for school could mean that a picture drawn by a first-grader, a lesson plan developed by a teacher or an app created by a teen would belong to the school system, not the individual.(Read more) and by (NBC News here <~~)

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This seems beyond the pale to us. Imagine a company claiming intellectual property rights to the creative work of its customers. Students are not employees of PG schools, they are customers, and their parents are owners through the taxes they pay.

As far as actual employees are concerned, the last Union contract signed with the school system should be pretty explicitly and limited to the work employees are paid to do, or work performed using County resources. When employees are hired, BOE should remember that, they are not buying employees, they are only renting a part of their ability through employment.

There is no question this is an enormous very negative idea. The folks who even gave passing thought to it should be fired. Appropriating (stealing) the work of others regardless of age for whatever use is wrong and most times illegal. What does this teach our children about the value and meaning of their efforts? What’s this say about the adults in the school system, who evidently can’t do better?

With this concept that everything a first grader does becomes PG Co intellectual property then there is a question of when does it no longer hold? A first grader sitting in crayon class thinks of a fish and draws it on paper. That is now PGCo copyright material. Eighteen years later the now adult screenplay writer stops by the school to look up his collected works and sees the fish and writes a bigger hit then Elmo. Will PG Co public schools demand the proceeds from that movie? …. Say “NO” to this crazy idea and demand better changes.

Call your elected officials now and the media. Demand immediate changes. (Call the general assembly here)

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Posted by . Categories: Accountability, Corruption in Education, PGCPS, Pgcps corruption, Pgcps Mess, Protest. Tags: , , , , . 2 Comments

16

Apr. ’12

Top Priorities For The Incoming BOE in PGCPS.

TOP PRIORITIES FOR THE INCOMING BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBERS IN PGCPS.

  1. Restore sanity to Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) discourse (Addressing corruption, nepotism and professional misconduct at Sasscer Administration Building).
  2. Evaluate unprofessional relationship between Dr. William Hite and various unions representing employees as well as some young female Principals.
  3. Review activities of previous nefarious Chief Legal Counsel Mr. Roger Thomas and previous nefarious Chief Human Resources Officer -Synthia J. Shilling (formerly Deputy Legal Counsel). These two cost the school system millions of dollars.
  4. Create a strong anti-discrimination and harassment policy in PGCPS. Obey state and federal laws.
  5. Access certification credentials held by senior management including Ms. Monica Goldson etc.
  6. Limit the purchasing power as exercised by Dr.William Hite when purchasing school system merchandize. (Who abused this power and was without oversight).
  7. Find ways to address and help reduce high suspension rate throughout the PGCPS District. Suspended students become a problem to the community.
  8. Examine closely all contracts over $10,000 signed off by Dr. William Hite Jr. and Ms. Verjeana Jacobs previously (Corrupt BOE Chair).
  9. Consider the following points as they impact the entire school District.
  • A.) Adding tighter campaign finance rules to avoid repeats of the Thatcher Campaign Donations Fiasco.
  • B.) Lobbying the County Council and the County Executive (Rushern Baker) to appoint an Inspector General (IG) to address waste, fraud, and abuse issues for all county agencies at Baker’s Office (including School Board). (These steps are necessary because an I.G. has not been appointed and there are an abundance of attorneys). Yes we can!
  • C.) Enforce the existing Codes of Ethics for all central office employees. Report infractions that go unpunished to MSDE.
  • D.) Report all concerns to MSDE so the state department is more accountable to us in enforcing state laws and policies at the local level.
  • E.) Ask tough questions about Ms. Elizabeth Davis, alleged lover to Tony Liberatore. His wife allegedly walked up on those two kissing at Sasscer. Ms. Davis does EEOC hearings/mediations. What are her qualifications and credentials for that role with such low morals? What connection did she have with Ms. Synthia Kucner?

11. Consider rules and regulations by federal, state and BOE policies.

  • A.) Abide by state law for Hite’s contract. The verbage for the state law is on the BOE webpage. see the attached link.
  • B.) Establish more precise criteria so we can get a better leader. Attract qualified, traditional candidates from other than Broad Group and other such organizations.
  • C.) Elect a BOE that will supervise rather than fraternize with the Superintendent.
  • D.) Complete THOROUGH background checks to avoid embarrassment of incidents like Deasy’s questionable doctorate.

12. Examine closely appointments of personnel –

A.) Look into the growing number of personnel in PGCPS like Jim Whattam, Esq., and Baker’s appointees like Mr. Christian Rhodes, Education Liaison, who have extensive ties to Prince George’s County Educator Association (PGCEA). Be fair to all unions without over representing the teachers.

B.) The serious allegations of misconduct by previous Superintendent Dr. William Hite Jr. and some female employees need to be investigated. The concerns need to be put directly in writing to the BOE members and a demand for an investigation launched right away. A Copy needs to be forwarded to Mr. Rod Rosenstein’s office if the BOE does not act. The man was worse than Dr. Hornsby.

13.  Dr. William Hite Jr. should be summoned back to explain what happened when he appointed less qualified, non-credentialed personnel without following the state law. BOE should supervise the future Superintendent and force HR compliance. In the previous format, Dr. Hite always told the BOE what to do. This is unacceptable.

14.  Review the following deals:

  • A.) Washington Plaza, lobbyist ties and campaign donations
  • B.) H-1B
  • C.) The 27 administrators currently in arbitration
  • D.) Lack of due process among ALL employees for hearings, terminations, etc under Mr. Roger Thomas, Synthia J. Shilling, and Mr. Jim Whattam
  • E.) OIA number of lawsuits and EEOC complaints. There are so many EEOC complaints, they now have outsourced to other field offices throughout the country.
  • F.) Review overlap of Legal Department for attorney duties for waste
  • G.) The Thatcher contract was a no bid contract, totally against BOE policy. It needs to be cancelled.
  • H.) The $90 million Dr. Hornsby left behind that has been squandered.
  • I.) A proper investigation needs to be launched ASAP to follow money trail involving Dr. William Hite Jr., Roger Thomas, Mr. Matthew E. Stanski, Ms. Synthia J. Shilling also known as Ms. Synthia Kucner, and co-conspirators.

15. Contact state and federal officials (FBI, DOJ) about the broken laws, policies and procedures.

16. Go to Dept of Labor, MSDE, EEOC and any other organizations like NAACP, Casa de Maryland and La Raza about discrimination and hiring. Demand to know about credentials and licensure. The State Department is already doing an audit.

17. Report any information to Miranda Spivack or Ovetta Wiggins of the Washington Post or NBC4 Prince George’s County Bureau Chief Tracee Wilkins so they may do a story on misappropriation of funds. (After the incident with Dr. Hornsby occurred, BOE policies/procedures were implemented to prevent a reoccurrence. These procedures have yet to be followed.

18. Stop empowering Principals who harbor strong biases and use the system to destroy teaching credentials in order to remove teachers who don’t appeal to them. Test scores rise because of teachers and not because of the principals. Administrators should be receptive helpers and not feared executioners.

19. Teachers and staff in PGCPS need a raise like what happened to Montgomery County Public School (MCPS) teachers recently. PGCPS staff have not had a raise for a while now. They work very hard usually without compensation.

20. Investigate Office of Constituent Services which acts as a campaign tool for Dr. William Hite even after he left the system. This office does very little to promote the interests of the PGCPS. The said office was only created to promote William Hite’s personal agenda and the staff overpaid to sit around to help put out fires touching on Dr. William Hite. Several staff members were given huge raises with no justification by Superintendent Hite personally. In this regard, IT Help Desk and Constituent Services needs to be merged to avoid duplication of duties.

21. Investigate IT Department and the relationship between some BOE members connected to fired IT Director Mr. Pierre Dickson. Verify what damage caused by the said Director and his lover Ms. Shanita Anderson.

22. Investigate nepotism beginning with Dr. William Hite’s office for the following reasons;

  • A.) The Director of communications Mr. Briant K. Coleman is a close family member to second in command.
  • B.) Several Instructional Directors have spouses who are either Principals or administrators within PGCPS.
  • C.) The previous Director was fired to create room for the current Communication Director, who is family member of the Deputy Superintendent.
  • D.) Previous Director of Communication was unjustly terminated in pretext for raising a discrimination issue.(see attached ~> Breedon vs PGCPS Bd. of Ed Hite)
  • E.) Investigate Ms. Monica Goldson, Chief Operating Officer (COO). She has several relatives in high level positions beginning at Sasscer – HR and in various schools. As the chief operating officer (COO), She controls millions of dollars and reports to the chief executive officer or the superintendent of schools. She is also responsible for the PGCPS’s day-to-day operating activities, including revenue and sales growth; expense, cost and margin control; and monthly, quarterly and annual financial goal management etc. What did she do to Dr. Hite to get the job without qualifications?

Investigate, investigate and change things immediately.

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Posted by . Categories: Accountability, Breakfast and corruption, Corruption in Education, Dr.William Hites jr., election 2012, Embattled Superintendent, Pgcps corruption, Pgcps Mess, Protest. Tags: , , , , , . 31 Comments

20

Oct. ’11

Discrimination & Racism in PGCPS.

Embattled Superintendent & Corrupt administrators determined to stay in job.

21March_InternationalDayfortheEliminationofRacialDiscrimination_139540121713954012179158

America has progressed over the last two hundred years with regard to race relations.   Our government has advanced notably since segregated offices in the Federal workplace during the Woodrow Wilson Presidency.   History discloses that we have moved beyond the Middle Passage, the One-Drop Rule, and the overt racism that our government adopted during the Jim Crow era.  In  2009, America witnessed the inauguration of its first African-American President, President Barack Obama.  Unfortunately, despite this notable ascension of an extremely brilliant, highly educated and qualified man of color to the highest rank of public service, the vast majority of qualified individuals of color are still deprived career opportunities to best serve our nation. Discrimination and racism still persists sadly even among the people of color as seen under embattled Superintendent William Hite Jr. (pictured below).

Embattled superintendent Hite.

In Prince George’s County public schools (PGCPS) – Maryland currently led by the embattled superintendent Hite, the prevalence of “colorism” — black on black discrimination, is the order of the day in various schools and central offices including Sasscer Administrative building where Dr. William Hites office is. Even though this might be less known, it’s an open secret in this predominant black community.  While many blacks do not always discriminate against each other by color, this attitude is not unique. The fact that blacks often treat other blacks differently, based on the shade of their skin, is a well-known issue in this ancient old land. However, the issue seem to have turned out for the worse in PGCPS under embattled Hite. (Read the news article here) and another news clip here.

Comedian Paul Mooney talks about it on stage. In one of his routines he said, “At home where I come from, Louisiana, we have the saying for it: ‘If you brown, hang around. If you yellow, you mellow. If you white, you all right. If you black, get back.’ ” “The worst insult a dark-skinned boy as a child, ever got is to be called African,” Jason who is an administrator said recently. “You can call me anything in the book when I was younger. Just don’t call me African,” he added.

Jason said people equate Africa to “savage.”

The Black Power movement was supposed to change those attitudes, and it did change some things. Suddenly there were some dark-skinned male stars who played the “hero” — Richard Roundtree played “Shaft,” and other stars followed, like Samuel L. Jackson, Wesley Snipes, and Oscar winners Denzel Washington and Jamie Foxx.

As a result of the above, maladministration, professional misconduct, corruption, nepotism and discrimination in Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) have gotten out of hand. We share this information in honor of staff members who are victims of retaliation and discrimination in various ways within the same District system. (Read the cases here) It is our hope that the accounts that follow highlight qualities of a new Superintendent that will assist in the selection process as we move forward in finding a new leader.  It is our sincere believe that the accounts that follow in the next few weeks and months narrating racism, professional misconduct, discrimination and nepotism within PGCPS system, not only captures your attention, but motivates you to proactively fight for a better America. By holding our county government and elected officials accountable. We can continue to build and promote an inclusive culture that encourages effective workforce performance not cover-ups! State and county employees, guardians over the public trust, must be able to pursue the missions of their organizations free from discrimination, racism and retaliation.  Public servants should not have to operate in fear of retaliation for reporting workplace, program or policy abuses that are racially discriminatory.

What Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) – District Community needs in a new Superintendent;

  1. Community needs a new Superintendent who has a vision, is able to communicate that vision and is able to make it come to pass.
  2. Teachers in all schools are 100 percent focused on the children. “Our problem here isn’t funding, it’s some administrators,” one teacher said recently. “There are givers and takers in this world, and it’s sad that in this community we have too many takers.” How can one justify thousands of administrators making over $100,000 with nothing to show for it?
  3. The community also needs a new Superintendent who is a team leader and a team player who can educate children on their individual level. William Hite Jr. EdD is neither a good team leader nor a good team player.
  4. Administrators, Teachers and support staff need a new superintendent who can quickly gain the confidence of leaders within the system, inspire them, motivate them and re-energize them.
  5. They also strongly favor a new superintendent as someone who can focus on one or two key areas of change; improve student achievement and be fair and consistent in his or her dealings with employees, students and the community.
  6. Other Key suggestions made to the “Reform Sasscer Team” are; A new superintendent who could implement a system wide focus on all schools, meet the needs of students who aren’t college-bound and unify the school system and public behind one vision.
  7. A new Superintendent who could assist students make AYP as well as staying focused on students and working on parental involvement. Many schools have been failing contrary to what William Hite has been saying lately as a cover up, (Read the news clip here).
  8. The big superintendent goals/qualities that came out of the teachers’ input meeting recently are making data-driven decisions that are not one-size fits all, giving administrators the autonomy to use school data to identify problems at their schools and create solutions to fix them, and bridging racial divisions that exist in the school system.
  9. Encouraging collaboration and creativity among teachers, being a visionary and having sensitivity for other cultures including southern and racial issues.
  10. A new Superintendent who can work with all the board members without targeting those who do not toe the line by not supporting fraud and other corrupt activities.
  11. The Business Community wants a new superintendent who can utilize sound business practices to achieve the outcome that everyone wants — or should want — and that’s getting the best results for our kids. Today, we spend a lot to get a poor product. No business can sustain itself with that model.
  12. Finally PGCPS needs a new superintendent who can fight corruption and take head on  Bully administrators who are sexually harassing staff in various locations, schools, central offices within the PGCPS District system with blind eye of embattled Superintendent Hite.  This issue has been compromising quality of service and has gotten worse under  him. (William Hite Jr. EdD).

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Posted by . Categories: ASASP UNION, Corruption in Education, Dr.William Hites jr., Embattled Superintendent, MONICA GOLDSON, PGCPS, Pgcps corruption, Pgcps Mess, sex in the school premises. Tags: , , , , , , , . 9 Comments