Lynne Harris: "People complain about Montgomery County Public Schools until they go somewhere else"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does Lynne Harris have kids? What schools do they attend in MCPS?

They recently graduated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does Lynne Harris have kids? What schools do they attend in MCPS?

They recently graduated.

Not sure how many kids she has, but they attended Highland View, SSIMS, and Einstein.

Source: https://moco360.media/2020-general-election-voters-guide/montgomery-county-board-of-education-at-large/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you listen to it in context, she is merely thanking Seth Adams for presenting on the CIP budget to the Fiscal Management Committee. She is highlighting the amount of staff work that gets done behind the scenes. Hardly seems worthy of a DCUM controversy, but here we are.

Her comment was not limited to the work done for this meeting. She used that moment as a launching point for a soapbox moment to say, in general and overall, that people complain [about many things about] Montgomery County Public Schools, but that generally, it's a lot worse elsewhere. There's no mincing her words here.

You're trying to minimize it when her intention was to say people should stop complaining because things could be a lot worse, as they are in other school districts.

Harris's comment did come immediately after her expressing her gratitude that MCPS's CIP book contains so many helpful appendices, so yeah.

Do you work for Harris's campaign?

Immediately after thanking them for the appendices, she said, "Challenging times...." and then went on her rant. The challenging times she's talking about are the budget deficits and various delays coming from those delays. Some of those budget delays and hesitations are due to MISMANAGEMENT of the funds and increase MCPS was given last year. The County Executive has been clear he doesn't have confidence the BOE and MCPS are managing what it gets well. The Council said the same thing, hence Andrew Friedson supporting a transparency bill to get more visibility into the spending categories for the BOE and MCPS.

Some of these "challenging times" are due to the direct failures of MCPS and the BOE's oversight. She's defending her and the system's track record with these comments. No ifs, ands or buts about it.

If MCPS didn't have to spend $9.7 million settling this lawsuit: https://moco360.media/2023/09/29/mcps-to-pay-9-7-million-to-settle-damascus-football-brooming-sex-assault-case/#:~:text=Montgomery%20County%20Public%20Schools%20will,from%20an%20incident%20on%20Oct.

Or $4 million settling this lawsuit: https://www.fox5dc.com/news/former-gaithersburg-high-school-wrestler-awarded-4-million-in-damages-in-sexual-assault-case

Or $1.3 million settling with McKnight: https://montgomeryperspective.com/2024/03/15/revealed-mcknights-separation-agreement/

And an undisclosed settlement with Beidleman: https://montgomeryperspective.com/2024/03/25/did-mcps-settle-with-beidleman/

Or plugging a $40 million deficit in its EBP fund due to mismanagement by AON: https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/60/1182968.page

Would our CIP budgets be short? Would we have to delay and phase projects?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

In case it doesn't start, she said this at 1 hour and 48 minutes in.

Does this sound like the words or sentiment of an incumbent board member who realizes the BOE has been off track, failed in its oversight responsibilities and owes the public better than what it has given to students, parents and staff? Or does it sound like someone who thinks MCPS is doing just fine and everyone who's upset is just being unrealistic with their expectations and ungrateful and unappreciative of how amazing MCPS is?

To be perfectly honest, a lot of the complaints posted here seem delusional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you listen to it in context, she is merely thanking Seth Adams for presenting on the CIP budget to the Fiscal Management Committee. She is highlighting the amount of staff work that gets done behind the scenes. Hardly seems worthy of a DCUM controversy, but here we are.

Her comment was not limited to the work done for this meeting. She used that moment as a launching point for a soapbox moment to say, in general and overall, that people complain [about many things about] Montgomery County Public Schools, but that generally, it's a lot worse elsewhere. There's no mincing her words here.

You're trying to minimize it when her intention was to say people should stop complaining because things could be a lot worse, as they are in other school districts.

Seems like you are trying to twist her words to suit your own purposes.

The good news is I included the full video, so people are free to watch and observe and make their own judgements.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

In case it doesn't start, she said this at 1 hour and 48 minutes in.

Does this sound like the words or sentiment of an incumbent board member who realizes the BOE has been off track, failed in its oversight responsibilities and owes the public better than what it has given to students, parents and staff? Or does it sound like someone who thinks MCPS is doing just fine and everyone who's upset is just being unrealistic with their expectations and ungrateful and unappreciative of how amazing MCPS is?

To be perfectly honest, a lot of the complaints posted here seem delusional.

And yet here you are. What delusion lured you to this place?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is that Harris dislikes the administrative obfuscation of MCPS but likes the social initiatives. I think most of the vocal opposition has been about the latter, and she may wish those to back off/get out, but that a number of other board members (Evans, particularly) have not been as supportive of open data interests, so she hasn't been able to make that the priority she initially ran on.

If she dislikes the administrative obfuscation then she should focus on tearing that down instead of slapping down valid criticism of a system that has objectively failed for at least the past year or two.

I mean, they just paid a massive settlement to fire the superintendent over the protest of the no-confidence vote of the MCEA. How can she defend the system with all of that mess still being fresh in our faces? It's an insane remark to make given what just happened and the scolding that she and the BOE got for poor oversight of the system by the County Executive and the County Council.

Where's the humility? Where's the accountability? Basically everyone else is the problem and MCPS and the BOE are just fine?

I suppose that she, like many, feels that folks who rail against the things she sees as important (like inclusive cirricula) should go pound sand. Not humble or the most politically astute to say so, though.

As far as accountability, I'd guess she'd place that more at the feet of her colleagues who haven't supported the calls for open data.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My understanding is that Harris dislikes the administrative obfuscation of MCPS but likes the social initiatives. I think most of the vocal opposition has been about the latter, and she may wish those to back off/get out, but that a number of other board members (Evans, particularly) have not been as supportive of open data interests, so she hasn't been able to make that the priority she initially ran on.

If she dislikes the administrative obfuscation then she should focus on tearing that down instead of slapping down valid criticism of a system that has objectively failed for at least the past year or two.

I mean, they just paid a massive settlement to fire the superintendent over the protest of the no-confidence vote of the MCEA. How can she defend the system with all of that mess still being fresh in our faces? It's an insane remark to make given what just happened and the scolding that she and the BOE got for poor oversight of the system by the County Executive and the County Council.

Where's the humility? Where's the accountability? Basically everyone else is the problem and MCPS and the BOE are just fine?

I suppose that she, like many, feels that folks who rail against the things she sees as important (like inclusive cirricula) should go pound sand. Not humble or the most politically astute to say so, though.

As far as accountability, I'd guess she'd place that more at the feet of her colleagues who haven't supported the calls for open data.

I dunno. She literally used the phrases of "operational excellence" and being "a good steward of funds" to describe MCPS presently, which I can't understand how she can utter those statements given all the facts that have been made public and again, the blistering criticism she and the BOE have gotten from CE Elrich and the Council for failing in precisely those two areas.

Either she's gaslighting us or she's arrogant enough to think she and the BOE are smarter than everyone else who's criticizing her, the BOE and the system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you listen to it in context, she is merely thanking Seth Adams for presenting on the CIP budget to the Fiscal Management Committee. She is highlighting the amount of staff work that gets done behind the scenes. Hardly seems worthy of a DCUM controversy, but here we are.

Her comment was not limited to the work done for this meeting. She used that moment as a launching point for a soapbox moment to say, in general and overall, that people complain [about many things about] Montgomery County Public Schools, but that generally, it's a lot worse elsewhere. There's no mincing her words here.

You're trying to minimize it when her intention was to say people should stop complaining because things could be a lot worse, as they are in other school districts.

Harris's comment did come immediately after her expressing her gratitude that MCPS's CIP book contains so many helpful appendices, so yeah.

Do you work for Harris's campaign?

Immediately after thanking them for the appendices, she said, "Challenging times...." and then went on her rant. The challenging times she's talking about are the budget deficits and various delays coming from those delays. Some of those budget delays and hesitations are due to MISMANAGEMENT of the funds and increase MCPS was given last year. The County Executive has been clear he doesn't have confidence the BOE and MCPS are managing what it gets well. The Council said the same thing, hence Andrew Friedson supporting a transparency bill to get more visibility into the spending categories for the BOE and MCPS.

Some of these "challenging times" are due to the direct failures of MCPS and the BOE's oversight. She's defending her and the system's track record with these comments. No ifs, ands or buts about it.

If MCPS didn't have to spend $9.7 million settling this lawsuit: https://moco360.media/2023/09/29/mcps-to-pay-9-7-million-to-settle-damascus-football-brooming-sex-assault-case/#:~:text=Montgomery%20County%20Public%20Schools%20will,from%20an%20incident%20on%20Oct.

Or $4 million settling this lawsuit: https://www.fox5dc.com/news/former-gaithersburg-high-school-wrestler-awarded-4-million-in-damages-in-sexual-assault-case

Or $1.3 million settling with McKnight: https://montgomeryperspective.com/2024/03/15/revealed-mcknights-separation-agreement/

And an undisclosed settlement with Beidleman: https://montgomeryperspective.com/2024/03/25/did-mcps-settle-with-beidleman/

Or plugging a $40 million deficit in its EBP fund due to mismanagement by AON: https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/60/1182968.page

Would our CIP budgets be short? Would we have to delay and phase projects?

Any organization the size MCPS is bound to have lawsuits. My biggest complaint is the outright waste on bloat like padding the central office with people whose job ranges from do nothing to hindrance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you listen to it in context, she is merely thanking Seth Adams for presenting on the CIP budget to the Fiscal Management Committee. She is highlighting the amount of staff work that gets done behind the scenes. Hardly seems worthy of a DCUM controversy, but here we are.

Her comment was not limited to the work done for this meeting. She used that moment as a launching point for a soapbox moment to say, in general and overall, that people complain [about many things about] Montgomery County Public Schools, but that generally, it's a lot worse elsewhere. There's no mincing her words here.

You're trying to minimize it when her intention was to say people should stop complaining because things could be a lot worse, as they are in other school districts.

Harris's comment did come immediately after her expressing her gratitude that MCPS's CIP book contains so many helpful appendices, so yeah.

Do you work for Harris's campaign?

Immediately after thanking them for the appendices, she said, "Challenging times...." and then went on her rant. The challenging times she's talking about are the budget deficits and various delays coming from those delays. Some of those budget delays and hesitations are due to MISMANAGEMENT of the funds and increase MCPS was given last year. The County Executive has been clear he doesn't have confidence the BOE and MCPS are managing what it gets well. The Council said the same thing, hence Andrew Friedson supporting a transparency bill to get more visibility into the spending categories for the BOE and MCPS.

Some of these "challenging times" are due to the direct failures of MCPS and the BOE's oversight. She's defending her and the system's track record with these comments. No ifs, ands or buts about it.

If MCPS didn't have to spend $9.7 million settling this lawsuit: https://moco360.media/2023/09/29/mcps-to-pay-9-7-million-to-settle-damascus-football-brooming-sex-assault-case/#:~:text=Montgomery%20County%20Public%20Schools%20will,from%20an%20incident%20on%20Oct.

Or $4 million settling this lawsuit: https://www.fox5dc.com/news/former-gaithersburg-high-school-wrestler-awarded-4-million-in-damages-in-sexual-assault-case

Or $1.3 million settling with McKnight: https://montgomeryperspective.com/2024/03/15/revealed-mcknights-separation-agreement/

And an undisclosed settlement with Beidleman: https://montgomeryperspective.com/2024/03/25/did-mcps-settle-with-beidleman/

Or plugging a $40 million deficit in its EBP fund due to mismanagement by AON: https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/60/1182968.page

Would our CIP budgets be short? Would we have to delay and phase projects?

Any organization the size MCPS is bound to have lawsuits. My biggest complaint is the outright waste on bloat like padding the central office with people whose job ranges from do nothing to hindrance.

You're right. The bloat in CO is a problem.

But so is the money being spent on settling lawsuits that are due to MCPS's mismanagement and failures. We can and should be upset about those things. It's not one or the other.

[Anonymous]

Hmmm, unless they did a survey of people that left MCPS, she's just full of crap.

And as someone that left MCPS, our experience has been LIGHTYEARS better in our new school system

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Weighing in from a Boston suburb: Yeah, no. Not even close.

+1. Lynne Harris is a joke.
-Weighing in from Frederick County(!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hmmm, unless they did a survey of people that left MCPS, she's just full of crap.

And as someone that left MCPS, our experience has been LIGHTYEARS better in our new school system

Let me guess, a small but wealthy district with fewer low-income students?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you listen to it in context, she is merely thanking Seth Adams for presenting on the CIP budget to the Fiscal Management Committee. She is highlighting the amount of staff work that gets done behind the scenes. Hardly seems worthy of a DCUM controversy, but here we are.

NP here.

I disagree she is "mearing thanking Seth Adams."

yes, her comments come after saying something like "all these appendices, this is great!" But then she went into "You know, people complain about Montgomery County Public Schools... until they go somewhere else." She doesn't say "People complain about MCPS reports until they look at other reports." She doesn't say "People complain about Seth Adams' work." She says THE SCHOOLS. She is talking about the school system as a whole.

As a note: I voted for her when she first ran for the BOE.

[Anonymous]

Which of her opponents do you work for, OP?