More wasteful spending

[Anonymous]

https://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/2024/06/breaking-transparent-board-of-education.html

“But the Board of Education decided to hire outside legal counsel to respond to the complaint and allege that they had not violated the Maryland Open Meetings Act. That was a decision to spend MCPS Operating funds on an outside lawyer instead of a) admitting the violation, or b) using an in house lawyer already on the payroll to respond to the complaint.”

How much did MCPS spend in legal fees for this? What are the actual consequences for the BOE for these violations?

[Anonymous]

I'm sure it was less money than keeping Zoom academy open this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm sure it was less money than keeping Zoom academy open this year.

What is Zoom academy? The Board of Education is buying more virtual learning tomorrow from a house in Potomac. The Board is happy with that type of spending.

[Anonymous]

They have in-house counsel. Why couldn't that person respond to the complaint?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They have in-house counsel. Why couldn't that person respond to the complaint?

It's not uncommon to have outside counsel involved when the decision/action being questioned originally came from in-house counsel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They have in-house counsel. Why couldn't that person respond to the complaint?

It's not uncommon to have outside counsel involved when the decision/action being questioned originally came from in-house counsel.

This is common practice basically everywhere. I don't see the problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They have in-house counsel. Why couldn't that person respond to the complaint?

It's not uncommon to have outside counsel involved when the decision/action being questioned originally came from in-house counsel.

It's the same person. Heather Mitchell is the in house counsel. She attends every Board of Education closed session.

She violated the law and then she defended her violation of the law. She gets paid $450 an hour no matter what she does. Win win for her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They have in-house counsel. Why couldn't that person respond to the complaint?

It's not uncommon to have outside counsel involved when the decision/action being questioned originally came from in-house counsel.

It's the same person. Heather Mitchell is the in house counsel. She attends every Board of Education closed session.

She violated the law and then she defended her violation of the law. She gets paid $450 an hour no matter what she does. Win win for her.

It's why people go to law school.

[Anonymous]

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1209609.page

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They have in-house counsel. Why couldn't that person respond to the complaint?

It's not uncommon to have outside counsel involved when the decision/action being questioned originally came from in-house counsel.

This is common practice basically everywhere. I don't see the problem.

Sure, but why keep lawyers on staff who don't do anything? They could hire more teachers. Either way, money is being wasted here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They have in-house counsel. Why couldn't that person respond to the complaint?

It's not uncommon to have outside counsel involved when the decision/action being questioned originally came from in-house counsel.

This is common practice basically everywhere. I don't see the problem.

Sure, but why keep lawyers on staff who don't do anything? They could hire more teachers. Either way, money is being wasted here.

Different roles and responsibilities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They have in-house counsel. Why couldn't that person respond to the complaint?

It's not uncommon to have outside counsel involved when the decision/action being questioned originally came from in-house counsel.

This is common practice basically everywhere. I don't see the problem.

Sure, but why keep lawyers on staff who don't do anything? They could hire more teachers. Either way, money is being wasted here.

Different roles and responsibilities.

Do tell. In this case same lawyer sat in BOE meeting, violated law and then wrote letter trying to deny violation. Just one lawyer did all that on an hourly pay scale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They have in-house counsel. Why couldn't that person respond to the complaint?

It's not uncommon to have outside counsel involved when the decision/action being questioned originally came from in-house counsel.

This is common practice basically everywhere. I don't see the problem.

Sure, but why keep lawyers on staff who don't do anything? They could hire more teachers. Either way, money is being wasted here.

My goodness! Y'all cannot be that clueless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They have in-house counsel. Why couldn't that person respond to the complaint?

It's not uncommon to have outside counsel involved when the decision/action being questioned originally came from in-house counsel.

This is common practice basically everywhere. I don't see the problem.

Sure, but why keep lawyers on staff who don't do anything? They could hire more teachers. Either way, money is being wasted here.

Silly question. Do you see a infectious disease doc for a broken leg? Different lawyers have different specialties.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They have in-house counsel. Why couldn't that person respond to the complaint?

It's not uncommon to have outside counsel involved when the decision/action being questioned originally came from in-house counsel.

This is common practice basically everywhere. I don't see the problem.

Sure, but why keep lawyers on staff who don't do anything? They could hire more teachers. Either way, money is being wasted here.

Silly question. Do you see a infectious disease doc for a broken leg? Different lawyers have different specialties.

Please name the different specialties that are needed by a Board of Education of a public school. There are people that claim to be education lawyers, but clearly that isn't enough for you. What are the other specializations that Boards must hire?
This post was about the same lawyer in the meeting, violating the law and writing a response to defend her violation. She did it all.