Tag Archives: Where is the Outrage in PGCPS?

More questionable, large raises exposed at Prince George’s County Public Schools

7F7044C9-2FAF-4B8D-8AE7-24CF37CAC4C7

– Three Prince George’s County School Board members are exposing more questionable raises in the school’s central office, alleging that the salary increases violate state law.

“Dr. Maxwell has unilaterally approved three-step (9.4 percent) and four step (16 percent) increases for select individuals in the central office,” reads a letter from Edward Burroughs, David Murray and Raaheela Ahmed to County Executive Rushern Baker.

 The board members reference findings of an internal audit that investigated whether there were unauthorized raises given in the deputy superintendent’s office. Board members say the latest audit found several additional cases of unauthorized raises.

“Combined with the unauthorized salary increases we wrote to you about in March 2018, there are now three separate departments receiving unauthorized salary increases. This is a reckless disregard for taxpayer dollars in Prince George’s County” the letter reads.

Under state law, the CEO of Prince George’s County Schools has authority to hire and set salaries for his executive staff.

Board members say the raises identified in the latest audit violate the law because they required approval from the school board since the employees are not part of Schools CEO Dr. Maxwell’s executive team.

School spokesman John White denied FOX 5’s request to view the audit because he says the auditing process is not complete. White says a review and response to the document is pending. White also says, despite the language in state law, Dr. Maxwell has the power to give raises to a host of employees in central office if the increases are based on additional job responsibilities. On Tuesday, FOX 5 requested the specific policy that gives him those powers, but no such written policy has been provided.

The board received a verbal briefing on the audit results two weeks ago. After the briefing on April 12, a board spokeswoman told FOX 5 via email, “The Board was informed that these increases were not ‘unauthorized.’ The Board continues to be engaged in this process and will await results from the full audit.”

This latest information comes after a series of raises in the central office came under scrutiny. First, it was exposed that there were six unauthorized raises given in the school system’s Human Resources department. Dr. Maxwell claims he was unaware those raises were given and a spokesman says the salary increases have since been corrected.

Then, FOX 5 was first to report on massive salary increases for members of Maxwell’s executive team, with some receiving increases between $35,000 and $50,000 in just a few years. While Maxwell had authority to give the raises, there has been intense scrutiny about the large percentage increases when teachers, principals and other schools staff typically receive three percent increases per year.

The raises prompted teacher protests, calls for a sickout and instatement of work-to-rule.

Dr. Maxwell has refused repeated requests for interviews about the executive staff raises. He has also not provided the detailed explanation requested by the full school board more than two weeks ago.

In their latest letter to Baker, which was also provided to FOX 5, the board members say the school system is in a crisis.

“We need your immediate intervention to resolve these management issues. Our students and employees deserve smart, forthcoming, honest, and ethical leadership. The mismanagement in PGCPS has been a distraction from the work and goals we have for our students. We are coming to you, to request your immediate intervention to resolve this issue, and hold leadership accountable for this wrongdoing,” the letter reads.

County Executive Baker’s office says Thursday that there was no comment.

Via Fox5DC

Read more >>> Where is the Outrage in PGCPS?

marylandmap2

***

Where is the Outrage in PGCPS?

Maryland state Sen. C. Anthony Muse request for an investigation is hitting major road blocks after asking the Prince George’s state’s attorney — one of his rivals in the race for county executive — to investigate schools chief Kevin Maxwell, a request the county’s top prosecutor called inappropriate and ­“political tomfoolery.”

In the midst of major criminal undertaking, will you find in Prince George’s county, poor, innocent children; families who are unfortunately victimized, and even staff who have been out in the cold without hearings on drum up charges for years. All of this under the monetary strength of taxpayers’ hard earned dollars.

There is something sadly skewed with Prince George’s county community’s moral priorities as we move on to June 26th primary election.

We are sure many of you have been following the growing uproar in our blogs which have advocated for several changes in our school system in the last eight years.

Countless administrators of Prince George’s County at Sasscer Administration Building, and even elsewhere within the county, could not possibly get away with such abuse. This is unless many others decided to be complicit in turning a blind eye in various illegal activities, including sexual abuse of innocent kids, illegal pay raises, tortious interference of counsels hired by staff, scheming – the list goes on. Why do PGCPS leaders tolerate the presence of colleagues who sexually abuse innocent staff, young children and vulnerable adults? Why do people in the pews refuse to rise up and demand that their leaders be held accountable? Why do we see the hard working men and women continue to put up with the various unions they belong to starting with ASASP, ACE-AFSCME Local 2250, and PGCEA? Where’s the accountability? Where’s the outrage?

Why can’t citizens of Prince George’s county and around Maryland call upon their leaders to demand an investigation on crimes committed in PGCPS after their clear, fraudulent agenda which includes illegitimate grade-changes in the county? Where’s the outrage?

Why don’t people at The School District of Philadelphia in Philadelphia demand the resignation of Prince George’s County’s own Dr. William Hite Jr, who admittedly kept quiet about staff members involved in sexual related activity and abuse of kids?

Why doesn’t staff at Sasscer Administration Building demand the resignation of Dr. Kevin Maxwell, about whom there is significant evidence regarding his knowledge of a host of problems to include sexual abuse of children when he arrived in June 2013? Where’s the outrage?

Where is the outrage when an 8 year old girl is sexually abused and taken advantage of in an environment which is supposed to be safe and conducive for learning?

Where is the outrage when a 13-year-old girl who died after she was struck by a car while trying to catch a school bus?

Where is the outrage when a high school coach initiates a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old female student?

Where is the outrage in the wake of the slaying of students in the schools?

Where is the outrage when PGCPS becomes an epicenter for exporting corruption to other states?

Where is the outrage when a high school Principal is targeted for secret recordings without his knowledge and without a court order?

Why do so many people act as though staff- sex abuse cover-ups and other criminal activities are no big deal?

Where is the outrage when a Sexual Predator and Convicted Robber is running for office in PG County?

Where is the outrage when Maryland delegate Dereck E. Davis creates a law and advances an agenda to benefit personally together with his wife?  Where is the outrage?

Where is the outrage when PGC Senate Delegation refuses to vote on PGCPS Inspector General bill due to conflicts of interest?

Where is the outrage when a cover up ensues to whitewash wrong doing? Where is the outrage?

We commend the vigilant teacher and the Principal at Glenn Dale Elementary school  for their bravery and honor their actions against the monstrosities. Hopefully, in the beginning of the school year, the schools of PGCPS could implement a system that gauges whether the interactions and behaviors of teachers and students are deemed appropriate or inappropriate. Furthermore, they should implement steps to take if there has been a violation to these rules. Proper public hearings involving all stakeholders should be held on several occasions to listen to the citizens’ concerns. It is best to observe on the grassroots-level because this is closest to the community, and the people will see for themselves an impossibility of any room for further covers-ups. We must listen and find the best practices, since the future is always around the corner.

“Politicians, parents, Churches, TV/Radio personalities etc, should respond with righteous outrage and anger at such crimes against innocent staff, children who have been victims of leaders whom they trust in their own schools and offices,” But where is that outrage?

Even now, has anything changed? Have any of those who covered up and kept quiet in the past about the constant abuse been held accountable? We appreciated the passage of HB 1107 to make proper changes in PGCPS, but was it genuine or legitimate? Was it too little, too late for some? The Prince George’s County delegation sat on bills and failed to schedule proper hearings  in order to make a change to the governance structure. Instead, they bought breakfast for parents to dupe them, and still got the union endorsement. Again, Where is the outrage?

And what about the epicenter of the corruption in PGCPS led by labor relations Director and previous chief legal counsel? Is anyone outraged at the fact that their long-time attorney threatened to sue abused victims even when the abuse was readily substantiated? It certainly doesn’t appear that way, even as these individuals are being caught red handed stealing. Where is the outrage?

The previous Prince George’s County Board of Education Chair Verjeana M. Jacobs, and the current Chair Segun C. Eubanks have known about these problems for many years now, and have continued to keep quiet in conspiracy with the corrupt Unions. Dr. Segun the current Chair is a brother-in-law to County Executive Rushern Baker III. He was apparently content in leaving countless other children and staff at risk. Yet, he is still the Board of Education Chairperson after HB 1107 went into effect on June 1, 2013. Where’s the outrage?

Where is the outrage when the Director of communications in PGCPS is inclined to create false reports to maintain the status-quo of the ailing PG County school system in cohort with the current Board chair while abusing the County Executive? (See PGCPSLies) Where’s the outrage?

And what about the fact that a man with a substantiated report of having sexually molested a child was still driving a School Bus, even after the fact the school leaders knew of his tendencies in PGCPS. And wouldn’t you know, this kept happening after several leaders had been informed at Sasscer Administrative Building. Those men and women are still in leadership positions including Ms. Monica Goldson, the current Chief Operating Officer who knew about discrimination. Is there any accountability for the willful blindness of PGCPS leaders who leave kids and others in harm’s way for predators? Where is the outrage?

What about the Union leadership and others smooching in the closets in PGCPS schools while refusing to take responsibility for their actions? Where is the outrage?

By defending and covering up for Dr. Kevin Maxwell, and not Senator Anthony Muse or Congress woman Donna Edwards , the media has shown some revealing inconsistencies in its concerns about free speech and human rights.

A lawyer is a representative of clients or a neutral third party, an officer of the legal system and a public citizen having special responsibility for the quality of justice. A lawyer may perform various functions. However, a lawyer must:

What happens when a lawyer violates the rules of ethics and is paid off  in Prince George’s County and under the table to look the other way to hurt his or her client? Where is the outrage?

It is easy enough to look at the perpetrators and simply say, “Therein lies the problem.” But what about all the enablers? What about the many leaders who turn a blind eye like Board of Education Chairperson Segun C. Eubanks, County Executive Rushern Baker III,  who allowed staff molesters including Union leaders in PGCPS to move on to other schools, offices etc. where they are apt to find fresh new prey? Where is the outrage?

“What hurts the victim most is not the cruelty of the oppressor, but the silence of the bystander.”

— Elie Wiesel

outrageCycle_of_CorruptionFIXEDsm

***