MoCo school board ordered to pay $518K to former B-CC High teacher accused of racism

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The fact that Mooney admitted he made up part of the quote, and sent it out to the BCC community is absolutely shocking, and should have consequences.

Which part of the quote did he make up?

I haven’t found the parts he made up. Does anybody know?

From this article (https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/07/17/bcc-quote-email-racism-defamation/):

Two days later, Mooney sent a letter to the school community describing the interaction as a “hate-bias incident.”

“A teacher said to several African American students that he was ‘unable to distinguish them from other African American students’ in the classroom,” Mooney wrote in the letter. “This is unacceptable and harmful behavior not in alignment with our school or districtwide values of respect and inclusivity.”

When questioned by Wachen on Wednesday, Mooney agreed that he made up the quote in the Feb. 10 email, intending to convey the sentiment resulting from the statement that was conveyed to him by the investigation because the student statements weren’t entirely consistent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The fact that Mooney admitted he made up part of the quote, and sent it out to the BCC community is absolutely shocking, and should have consequences.

Which part of the quote did he make up?

I haven’t found the parts he made up. Does anybody know?

From this article (https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/07/17/bcc-quote-email-racism-defamation/):

Two days later, Mooney sent a letter to the school community describing the interaction as a “hate-bias incident.”

“A teacher said to several African American students that he was ‘unable to distinguish them from other African American students’ in the classroom,” Mooney wrote in the letter. “This is unacceptable and harmful behavior not in alignment with our school or districtwide values of respect and inclusivity.”

When questioned by Wachen on Wednesday, Mooney agreed that he made up the quote in the Feb. 10 email, intending to convey the sentiment resulting from the statement that was conveyed to him by the investigation because the student statements weren’t entirely consistent.

No wonder our students have no integrity.

[Anonymous]

Anybody think this was an inside job, and Mooney is getting a kickback from the defamed teacher?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anybody think this was an inside job, and Mooney is getting a kickback from the defamed teacher?

What????? Absolutely not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unbelievable. Glad the teacher got a favorable resolution after all that MCPS induced trauma but sad that there is 500k less going into our kids’ educations next year.

Does the MCPS Board have a budget line item to pay out lawsuits for its incompetence or do we just expect class sizes to be bigger next year?

This statement is in correct.

1) it’s paid by insurance
2) it’s not “each year”

The BOE is self insured. There is no insurance policy.

Every year the BOE pays out settlements. You just aren’t paying attention.

+1. The statement is correct.

[Anonymous]

If a teacher had said this to my friends and me, I would have thought it a dig about how we all dress alike. As an adult I can see it might even have been because we were all racially similar.
But I still can't get my head around how we are not teaching children that this truth, thst we did look and dress similarly is hateful and racist. I just can't get my mind around this part.
Yes people of the race often share similar traits. So what?

My second thought is that no teacher in the 80s would have told us to return to our assigned seats---and then explained the reasoning for the command. That's the unspoken problem. Why were the kids out of their assigned seats and arguing with fhe teacher's rules for the classroom?? They should have been sent to the office for not complying with the teacher

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If a teacher had said this to my friends and me, I would have thought it a dig about how we all dress alike. As an adult I can see it might even have been because we were all racially similar.
But I still can't get my head around how we are not teaching children that this truth, thst we did look and dress similarly is hateful and racist. I just can't get my mind around this part.
Yes people of the race often share similar traits. So what?

My second thought is that no teacher in the 80s would have told us to return to our assigned seats---and then explained the reasoning for the command. That's the unspoken problem. Why were the kids out of their assigned seats and arguing with fhe teacher's rules for the classroom?? They should have been sent to the office for not complying with the teacher

And then a letter would have been sent out about the hate incident where a teacher sent two kids to the office because they were black.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is Mooney off the hook?

Because this is Mcps.

Maybe because there are no competent persons to take over. Seems like most of the principals have an EdD or a doctorate in something or another.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is Mooney off the hook?

Not just Mooney. What about his supervisors who reviewed Mooney’s letter, including Chief of Schools Peter Moran and Associate Superintendents Sean McGee?

This lawsuit reinforces that the BOE has a duty and obligation to intervene and supervise MCPS and hold it accountable. And yet they refuse to.

Another day and BCC in the news...
Another day and this Board in the news...
Sigh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is Mooney off the hook?

Not just Mooney. What about his supervisors who reviewed Mooney’s letter, including Chief of Schools Peter Moran and Associate Superintendents Sean McGee?

This lawsuit reinforces that the BOE has a duty and obligation to intervene and supervise MCPS and hold it accountable. And yet they refuse to.

Ultimately, the moco taxpayers lose in this case.

As they did in 2024 with
-Super's payout
-bus tracking app

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unbelievable. Glad the teacher got a favorable resolution after all that MCPS induced trauma but sad that there is 500k less going into our kids’ educations next year.

Does the MCPS Board have a budget line item to pay out lawsuits for its incompetence or do we just expect class sizes to be bigger next year?

This. The BOE needs to be held accountable as does Taylor and central office.

I’m just worried more lawsuits are coming as the political climate is very favorable to them.

Meanwhile, I have colleagues who are racist and there doesn’t seem to be anyway to dislodge them from positions working with our most vulnerable students.

Don't blame this on the "political climate." The BCC principal admitted he fabricated evidence defaming a teacher on the stand. The jury didn't even have to deliberate for more than a few hours. MCPS had a crap case. But yes, I would be worried if this is the level of competence MCPS has. So much of our education tax dollars are going to go to pay out people who have legit claims of being harmed by MCPS.

Then why did the jury absolve him of responsibility?

Because he said a whole lot of people at MCPS approved his statement that fabricated evidence. The jury found the MCPS Board responsible.

Well, it's a litlle more Russian doll than that. The jury found that MCPS is responsible and that the board is responsible for MCPS.

Yup, I get why they found the MCPS Board responsible. Ultimately the buck (or 500K bucks in this case) stops with them. But how do you specifically absolve Mooney who did everything? But the only article is from Bethesda Magazine and there's zero explanation about why Mooney walked out without any blame.

I think it's because the MCPS chain of command was involved and had full knowledge.

If Mooney had gone rogue and acted alone without anyone else in MCPS knowing, then maybe he could have been held individually responsible. But in this case, it was truly a systemic response and failure so the system gets the blame, not the individual.

Not even a statement from MCPS. It's like their central office is asleep.

Ya think?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unbelievable. Glad the teacher got a favorable resolution after all that MCPS induced trauma but sad that there is 500k less going into our kids’ educations next year.

Does the MCPS Board have a budget line item to pay out lawsuits for its incompetence or do we just expect class sizes to be bigger next year?

This. The BOE needs to be held accountable as does Taylor and central office.

I’m just worried more lawsuits are coming as the political climate is very favorable to them.

Meanwhile, I have colleagues who are racist and there doesn’t seem to be anyway to dislodge them from positions working with our most vulnerable students.

Don't blame this on the "political climate." The BCC principal admitted he fabricated evidence defaming a teacher on the stand. The jury didn't even have to deliberate for more than a few hours. MCPS had a crap case. But yes, I would be worried if this is the level of competence MCPS has. So much of our education tax dollars are going to go to pay out people who have legit claims of being harmed by MCPS.

Then why did the jury absolve him of responsibility?

Because he said a whole lot of people at MCPS approved his statement that fabricated evidence. The jury found the MCPS Board responsible.

How would they know though

The BOE is responsible for ensuring the superintendent has structures and people who are knowledgable, competent and responsible.

In this case, this ENTIRE chain of people failed:

- Chief of Schools Peter Moran
- Associate Superintendent Sean McGee

These people were responsible for supervising Mooney and reviewed his comms.

The BOE knew about McGee's role in this incident and DESPITE this, they just reconfirmed him as Associate Superintendent this school year.

And they reappointed Peter Moran as chief of schools:

That white dude that looks like Taylor?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unbelievable. Glad the teacher got a favorable resolution after all that MCPS induced trauma but sad that there is 500k less going into our kids’ educations next year.

Does the MCPS Board have a budget line item to pay out lawsuits for its incompetence or do we just expect class sizes to be bigger next year?

This. The BOE needs to be held accountable as does Taylor and central office.

I’m just worried more lawsuits are coming as the political climate is very favorable to them.

Meanwhile, I have colleagues who are racist and there doesn’t seem to be anyway to dislodge them from positions working with our most vulnerable students.

Don't blame this on the "political climate." The BCC principal admitted he fabricated evidence defaming a teacher on the stand. The jury didn't even have to deliberate for more than a few hours. MCPS had a crap case. But yes, I would be worried if this is the level of competence MCPS has. So much of our education tax dollars are going to go to pay out people who have legit claims of being harmed by MCPS.

Then why did the jury absolve him of responsibility?

Because he said a whole lot of people at MCPS approved his statement that fabricated evidence. The jury found the MCPS Board responsible.

Well, it's a litlle more Russian doll than that. The jury found that MCPS is responsible and that the board is responsible for MCPS.

Yup, I get why they found the MCPS Board responsible. Ultimately the buck (or 500K bucks in this case) stops with them. But how do you specifically absolve Mooney who did everything? But the only article is from Bethesda Magazine and there's zero explanation about why Mooney walked out without any blame.

The BOE has shown over and over that majority of the times, the group is incapable of cross questioning anyone or anything that comes across. There should be a few lawyers on there to help a Board out. They make very little. What should be required is for them to study issues and be on top of issues that come up. By nope, everyone is busy being on TikTok. This is exactly what the creators of TikTok wanted - demise of Americans, demise of America's education system. For a school system that cares so much about image, it has failed again on that front. One incident and news after another whether it is scandals, Supreme court case, lockdowns etc...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is Mooney off the hook?

Because this is Mcps.

He’s screwed up so many time. BCC deserves better. It’s been declining sharply under Mooney.

Correct. I’m a BCC parent and think that Mooney is a nice person but completely in over his head as Principal. He is utterly incompetent in that role.

Any chance Mooney gets transferred out to cushy pasture at the central office in time for the new academic year? BCC has had enough of him.

Who do you think would want to replace him?

Oh please. There are plenty of ambitious assistant principals who wouldn't mind a promotion.

Like...???

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is Mooney off the hook?

Because this is Mcps.

He’s screwed up so many time. BCC deserves better. It’s been declining sharply under Mooney.

BCC is a mess, from the top down. Useless. But then, so are many schools in MCPS whose principals are allowed to stay on the job year after year after year.

Such as teachers who should have retired years ago but are not retiring? Because they know there are not enough teachers to replace them?