Tag Archives: verjeana Jacobs

28

Apr. ’16

Longest-serving member in PGCPS board is dethroned in election

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Verjeana Jacobs

The longest-serving member on the Prince George’s County school board with cases pending against her in both state and Federal court lost a primary challenge in Tuesday’s election, a defeat that ends her decade in public office and sends two other hopefuls from District 5 to the general election.

Jeana Jacobs, a lawyer from Mitchellville who was board president from 2007 to 2013 and whose poor leadership skills mixed up with corruption was  placed third in a four-candidate contest. Raaheela Ahmed, who first run as a student leader several years ago was the best this time. She does financial consulting for federal agencies and was making her second bid for the seat, and Cheryl Landis, a longtime school system employee and first-time board candidate.

Ahmed drew more than 9,600 votes, while Landis garnered more than 8,000 and Jacobs about 6,000, according to preliminary results. A fourth candidate, Robert Johnson, an educator from Bowie who is campus director of ITT Technical Institute in Springfield, Va., received about 2,650 votes. It appears the county citizenary united to remove Verjeana Jacobs in every way possible. A few people found or did find it confusing that Ms. Jacobs was calling herself “Jeana” after going as “Verjeana” for many years. It might have been a strategy to deceive voters.

The non-partisan primary campaign for school board touched on issues of class size reduction, teacher pay, budget priorities and parent engagement. Ahmed and Landis could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday.

Jacobs said in an interview that she was honored to have served the community as long as she did. “I’ve always had their backs and they’ve always had mine,” she told the Washington post.

She said she believed she had run afoul of the political establishment in Prince George’s for speaking her mind and taking an independent approach. She noted that County Executive Rushern L. Baker III (D) and other political leaders backed Landis in a string of campaign mailings and handouts. Landis is chair of the Democratic Central Committee in the county.

“Once again politics prevailed,” Jacobs said.

In a second board race in Prince George’s, for District 8, incumbent Edward Burroughs III, a director of business development from Temple Hills, will move on to the general election along with challenger Stephanie Hinton, a fifth-grade teacher from Temple Hills.

Burroughs, seeking a third term, led with more than 11,100 votes, followed by Hinton, with more than 4,700 votes. A third candidate, Carlton C. Carter, a school-turnaround consultant from Fort Washington, trailed with about 2,750 votes. In 2012, Mr. Carter was the principal at Ernest E. Just Middle School in Mitchellville before he fell out with Dr. William Hite leadership and forced to resign, according to a letter sent home to parents at the time.

Edward Burroughs said in an interview with Washington post on Wednesday that he was honored by the support from voters in the district. “I will continue to fight day-in and day-out to ensure that every student has a quality education,” he said.

Hinton, a first-time candidate, said she was still trying to absorb the results.

“I am just thrilled,” she said. “This is all very new to me. I’m excited the voters had the faith in me to send me the general election.”

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18

Feb. ’15

Prince George’s school board approves credit card ban.

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Prince George’s school board has the green light to cut up their credit cards after a unanimous Feb. 12 vote to adopt a reimbursement policy.

The new policy will take effect in April, said school board chairman Segun Eubanks.

The board decided to take action following of dollars in local meals on their board-issued credit cards.

Delegate Alonzo Washington (D-Dist. 22) of Hyattsville proposed House Bill 707 to the General Assembly that would take away the county-issued cards, but Washington said he would withdraw his legislation if the school board passed the ban themselves.

David Cahn, co-chair for the education watchdog “Citizens for an Elected Board,” commended the board for the move and said it was preferable for the board to ban the cards themselves.

“A lot of times, legislation like this is created to get the target of the legislation to do it voluntarily,” Cahn said.

The new policy also caps the amount board members can get reimbursed for local meals to $39 for dinner, and lesser amounts for breakfast and lunch, and limits the number of local work-related meals for which a board member may be reimbursed to two per week.

Board member Verjeana Jacobs (Dist. 5) motioned to amend the policy to allow board members to carry over unused amounts of their expense accounts to be donated to school-based programs in the following fiscal year, pending approval from the board.

Prior to Jacobs’ amendment, the revised policy stated that unspent funds could be donated to schools or school programs at the end of June, when schools are not in session, Jacobs said.

“So what happens is funds left over from this year will go over to next year, and that will give board members an opportunity to present to the board different activities or events or things that they feel are good for schools, and make recommendations for funds to go there,” Jacobs said.

Jacobs’ amendment was approved unanimously.

>>> Read more Gazette

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18

May. ’13

Outrageous BOE Featherbedding of $2 million @Sasscer

embezzlement

OUTRAGEOUS!!

It appears like the current Board led by verjeana Jacobs has dropped another bomb shell by continuing to act like a Mafia staffing the court in its waning days. (Read more) (More)  This is the blatant abuse of Board power and a continuation of the epicenter. For the last several months, we have been warning about this board’s unethical and unabashed wayward behavior.

The actions of the Verjeana Jacobs led board prove our point that something needs to change urgently.

This same Board of education (BOE) cut media specialist positions and reading recovery positions 2 years ago. They still refuse attempts to provide a full-time art teacher to all schools. They allow an eighth grade Algebra class to have 43 students, and Kindergarten and 1st grade classes with 30 students.Embezzlement~~element61

The BOE members featherbedding of $2 million is a daring move right in the middle of a recession, layoffs and furloughs in the county. These egocentric and selfish actions confirm everything we have been saying in our blogs. They have been taking away from innocent kids while pretending to help them.
The elected school board needs to be dissolved in our view. It is loaded with crooks, schemers and some who are not so educated led by Ms. Jacobs, who is the worst of the bunch and taking advantage of the situation. Admiration to Ms. Donna Hathaway Beck (District 9) for standing firm and Ms. Carletta Fellows, M.A.Ed. (District 7) for keeping away from this unethical practice.

There is No smoke without fire and now this is even a major reason to support Baker: Their so-called $7000 in travels voucher and petty cash needs to be confiscated.  It’s an abuse not only here in PGCPS but has been abused elsewhere.  Let them bring receipts for a refund. Reform Sasscer Movement believes that Ms. Carletta Fellows tribulations was a set up by Ms. Jacobs in order to way lay her in the upcoming expanded BOE.

We are clearly outraged. How in the world does an outgoing board have the audacity to appoint not one but fifteen (15) strategic employees (lobbyists)? What is their motivation? Surely, they are not doing this to decrease the unemployment rate! There is nothing benevolent or philanthropic about this board’s action. The citizens of PG County should rise and demand that these appointments be annulled.

This is not a board game of checkers considering the budget constraints. The least the board could do is act responsibly and return the money.

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01

Apr. ’13

Letter to Maryland General Assembly.

Maryland

Dear Maryland General Assembly,

On behalf of Prince George’s community, we offer the gift of perspective.  Consistent with any other gift, whether you choose to accept is up to you.

Our message to you today is predicated on the substantial support of Prince George’s County citizens with regard to the controversy between County Executive Mr. Baker and Board of Education Chairperson Ms. Verjeana Jacobs.  The inherent conflict in Mr. Baker’s proposal is outweighed by the potential progress of the school system and community.  The Prince George’s County school District system BOE leadership is not working and change is overdue!  Mr. Baker proposes that very change and we support him.  Here are our reasons.

  1.  The approval/decline of Mr. Baker’s proposal, regardless of what direction is takes, has far reaching consequences well beyond the political triumphs, or failures of Ms. Verjeana Jacobs.
  2.  Your decision will reflect on both your integrity and the integrity of the Prince George’s County Public Scholls (PGCPS) District system. It will set a precedent as to whether (a.) nobody messes with the Maryland General Assembly or (b.) The Maryland General Assembly can be bought or sold to the highest bidder…or the one with the most money.
  3. Your decision will not be silent with regards to the children; the children will see first-hand your expectations of the school system and what initiative you will take to protect the children.  In approving Mr. Baker’s proposal after amendments, you are sending a message that is loud and clear even to our children – there are bad consequences for bad actions and corruption involving elected Board members does NOT pay in Prince George’s County Maryland.  It is only fair to tell you that the democratic process does regretfully allow you to choose to send the message that corruption, neglect and waste do pays.  Further, you will be encouraging the children to become corrupt politicians and officials, as those professions (if you want to call them that) are lucrative venture and will incur no scrutiny from the Senate. Consequently, all self-respecting political aspirations must take a back-seat to the engagement of conmanship, gerrymandering and plain professional misconduct, including nepotism and corruption.
  4.  The PG Senate and the entire General Assembly is in fact the judge in this trial that decides the fate of our PG community.  The General Assembly has the opportunity, if not privilege, of handing down a sentence that redresses the inadequacies that have plagued the Prince George’s County community.  But in order for the General Assembly to do so, the community must take its rightful position as jury and find the School Board guilty in light of its neglect of the community that it has sworn to protect.  That guilty verdict will act as the ultimate precedent; it will deter future politicians and officials from neglecting the lives of the citizens of this community.  You will be effectively telling us tomorrow whether we voted for you to be our  custodians or not. You have only one chance to do it. That chance is this year, 2013. If you bungle it then, 2014 will be next year too late; the die will have been cast and the future will have been set in stone.
  5.  Prince George’s heart is bleeding. It has been bleeding for sometime now and the corruption keeps on cropping up.  It especially bled during the days of Jack Johnson who is serving time in jail for corruption and other vices. Thank God! Many of you have been around and you care.  But the ulcer really flared up after  Ms.Verjeana Jacobs was elected as the Board Chairperson.  Impunity reigned supreme as the corruption, professional misconduct and nepotism glared before cameras of our televisions. You were there. Thank God! We bled profusely and many students have died recently as impunity was sworn in at night. You were there. Thank God! Because you know, five years later, impunity has taken a new face; this one is more clever, smoother, craftier and lawyer-like.  This new face is armed with sophisticated tools such as powerful organizations and lobbyists that benefit directly from the Board of Education. This entity camouflages itself in the skin of a snake-oil salesman. You, as the Maryland General Assembly, have to remind that heckler that Prince George’s County wants that element gone.
  6. Your decision will inspire and influence the integrity of the Board of Education aspirants; your sweeping reform will deter corruption and inspire a system that is based on merit and the ability/capability to truly build the nation and advance our resources for posterity.  In the absence of such reform, corruption will have been rewarded, encouraged and advanced.  This course of action will foreseeably deal a lethal, if not fatal, blow to the entire democratic process.
  7.  Reread No. 6.
  8. Repeat No. 7
  9.  Go back to No.5 twice, then No. 6 again.  You have a huge decision to make and should treat it as such.
  10.  Eschew No. 6
  11. IF YOU FAIL TO LIVE UP TO 12, and only IF; We and many others will view you, for the long term, as nothing more than political egg-heads intent on sleeping with Prince George’s County enemies of progress, thereby proving that there is nothing supreme about you; in fact, you are nothing more than ordinary self-serving business types bearing a striking resemblance to members of the even-toed ungulates of the Suidae family.

Well, Great men and women of Maryland General Assembly, thank you for your patience in reading thus far.

Here’s hoping you will DO THE RIGHT THING!

12.  If you do the right thing, all Prince George’s County citizens will know that whether high and mighty or lowly and meek, the Maryland General Assembly is above reproach and does not bow down to any self-declared deities, much less self-imposed and willfully manipulative characters intent on abducting democracy in Maryland and especially in Prince George’s County School District.  The malefactors suffer from delusions of grandeur and superiority and you can give them their wake-up call.

Our courts and media must continue to play their rightful roles.

Diverse players from the non-state sectors must raise their voices.

The Prince George’s County reform efforts especially for schools will only show a maturing County if we collectively demand changes and keep the social cost it entails at a minimum.

Sincerely,

Reform Sasscer Movement for Prince George’s County.

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17

Nov. ’12

State officials review campaign finance complaint.

The Maryland State Board of Elections is looking into a complaint against Prince George’s County School Board Chairman Verjeana Jacobs (District 5) that raises questions about campaign finance reports her campaign filed this year. The most recent report was filed less than two weeks before her reelection. (Read more).

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05

May. ’12

N E W S R E L E A S E

 Reform Sasscer Movement Statement on Corruption and cover up Report in PGCPS.

 Contact: Morris Flecher Beyene

 Reformsasscer@gmail.com

For Immediate Release:

May 05, 2012

PG County citizens know that corruption, nepotism and professional misconduct is the way of life in Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) and this culture of Malfeasance must be stopped immediately. The incarceration of former county executive Jack Johnson, a good friend of Superintendent Hite, has not created a reality check for Dr. Hite or his kitchen cabinet. Therefore, innovative ways to bring accountability in the school system needs to be explored and utilized including by the general assembly.

Above all, our school system is stagnant. Studies show a large majority of students entering two and four-year colleges are behind in math and English Read more:  In addition, the unemployment rate remains high with students and parents losing hope on finding jobs. It’s a clear declaration that PGCPS society as a whole and the educational institutions in particular are not providing for the welfare of its student citizenry. This in turn affects the morale of the staff and students alike.

It’s time to end Ms.Verjeana Jacobs, the Chairperson of the Board of Education and Dr. William Hite’s policies and get the County school system back on track to create fiscal stability. It’s time to create proper reforms at Sasscer Administration Building. The reforms include reduction in womanizing by Superintendent Hite and ending the culture of discrimination and harassment. Furthermore, the high suspension rate of students needs to be reduced, abolishing the Office of Constituent Services which acts as a campaign tool for Dr. William Hite and finally support teachers by advancing a reasonable empowerment policy. (See entire list here).

Chairperson Verjeana Jacobs needs to vacate the chair because her husband has been caught numerous times drunk driving. (See reports here, here, here and here). “This man has his hands in a lot, his wife is on the school board,” one concerned parent said. “He should be responsible and mature.” “He has enough money that he doesn’t have to drive if he isn’t able to.” she said. We agree with organized labor that staff should not drink on the job and a policy should be in place regarding drunken spouses and not delayed “until after the election,” according to the concerned parent. Unfortunately Chairperson Verjeana Jacobs hesitated in her support of this venture. The Prince George’s County educator association (PGCEA) and part of the ACE_AFSCME Local 2250 should not be in bed with PGCPS management. Otherwise, the unions become useless and members are trying to find ways to denounce their memberships because union leaders, staff and lawyers involved in protecting workers are corrupt.

Furthermore, Chairperson Verjeana Jacobs who supports corruption through a variety of ways including an illegal tender involving Thatcher law firm, needs to vacate the chair. The no competitive bind policy advocated by Verjeana Jacobs and Dr. William R. Hite Jr. is hurting our children’s education.  Thatcher Law firm was given a no competitive bind contract because of ties to Dr. William R. Hite Jr. and after Verjeana Jacobs was paid $8,000 hush-money towards her re-election campaign. It’s time to elect new leadership and cancel the $5 million no bind contract awarded to the Thatcher Law firm. Corruption in PG County is killing the future education of local kids. The Thatcher Law firm is involved in deep seated corruption and must be forced to repay back the money to PGCPS. (Read more)

PG County needs a school board chairperson who is not afraid to lead and take on the challenges facing the staff, students and parents. Chairperson Verjeana Jacobs no longer represents the interests of the citizens of PG County and Prince George’s County 5th district.  Her “corruption, corruption, hide, hide, nepotism, nepotism, pay to play, pay to play, cover up, cover up” ways and policies have contributed to the terrible and low performance of the Prince George’s County school system we have today led by the corrupt Dr. William R. Hite Jr.

Today PGCPS is on the bottom of the ladder in Maryland. We need Board members and a new superintendent who will step up and fight for our students, American workers and free enterprise, and work to facilitate job opportunities where all Americans can pursue their own American dream while being accountable – it’s time!

https://www.petitionbuzz.com/petitions/sasscer

Corrupt Dr. William R. Hite Jr. and Ms. Verjeana Jacobs are pictured below.

Posted by . Categories: Accountability, Corruption and cover up Report in PGCPS, Corruption in Education, Dr.William Hites jr., Embattled Superintendent, Pgcps corruption, Pgcps Mess, sex in the school premises, William Hite & His women. Tags: , , , , , , , , . 2 Comments