Judge Orders MCPS to Surrender (Beidleman) Document Treasure Trove

[Anonymous]

https://montgomeryperspective.com/2024/04/18/judge-orders-mcps-to-surrender-document-treasure-trove/

By Adam Pagnucco.

Circuit Court Judge Louis Leibowitz ruled on the motion on April 5. He ordered MCPS to turn over many of the documents requested by the plaintiff, including Beidleman’s complete personnel file, documents related to complaints about Beidleman and his discipline, “any documents relating to any agreements for compensation paid to Defendant Beidleman arising out of his discipline or termination,” relevant training videos and presentations and more. The judge also ordered MCPS to provide documents for his review related to Jackson Lewis’s interviews of employees, Khalid Walker’s charge of discrimination against MCPS and disciplinary documents “for any MCPS employee other than Beidleman who was disciplined, placed on leave, or terminated as a result of Beidleman’s conduct or the failure to investigate Beidleman.” The judge would then decide which of these documents, if any, should be provided to the plaintiff.

...

On January 23, the plaintiff’s lawyer told MCPS’s lawyer that he intended to depose the following 25 people if the case was not settled. I supply titles in parentheses.

Defendant Beidleman

Corporate Designee for the BOE (Board of Education)

Dr. Monifa McKnight (former superintendent)

Diane Morris (area associate superintendent)

Patrick Murphy (former deputy superintendent)

Dr. Donna Redmond Jones (associate superintendent)

Dr. Eugenia (Jeanie) Dawson (Office of School Support and Well-Being)

Susan Marks (former head of human resources)

Michaele Simmons (former director of compliance and investigations)

Khalid Walker (an investigator initially assigned to Beidleman’s case)

Brian Hull (chief operating officer)

April Key (chief of human resources)

Chris Cram (director of communications)

James (Jason) McCoy (coordinator, administrator and supervisor staffing)

Danielle Miller, Esq. (assistant general counsel)

Eric Minus (former director of school support and improvement)

Steven Neff (director of pupil personnel and attendance services)

Amy Councilman (assistant principal, Farquhar Middle School)

Christina Putman (assistant principal, Forest Oak Middle School)

Brian Stockton (former chief of staff)

Rebecca Smondrowski (school board member)

Four other non-leadership staff who were colleagues of Beidleman at schools where he worked.

This list contains a large chunk of former Superintendent Monifa McKnight’s leadership team as well as several people who worked in Beidleman’s schools. Just because the plaintiff’s attorney wants to depose them, that does not mean that they have done anything wrong. But together, they can help the plaintiff compile a comprehensive picture of Beidleman’s activities and MCPS’s response.

How much taxpayer money would MCPS fork over to keep these people from testifying in court?

[jsteele]

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1199867.page