New Interim Superintendent Monique Felder

[Anonymous]

The MCPS hiring process was not transparent and there seem to be some implications they cut corners. Someone from the board and MCPS needs to explain this further.

There are legitimate criticisms to be leveled, but this isn't one of them. We are in a unique situation here because the natural choice guy interim superintendent is implicated in the situation that caused Dr. McKnight to lose her job.

We can't just skate along with no one in that role, so the BOE had to act quickly and with a shallow bench. It sucks that Dr. McKnight and Brian Hull put us in this situation, but it is what it is. Let's give the new person a chance, if only to demonstrate to permanent candidates that this parent community is not in fact, completely impossible to work with.

[Anonymous]

I don't know that I would necessarily think of a relatively small fee (4k in regards to a whole salary) as an income and I could see how she forgot it. I've made the same mistake when buying a home and forgot to count a small amount I made with dog walking during a short amount of time.

In any case I really would like to see this board not immediately villify the person in this position and give her a chance because it seems like she did have a positive impact otherwise. We're so quick to do this and then just immediately dismiss anything the person says/does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m really impressed by Felder’s achievements in Tennessee and North Carolina in terms of raising literacy, SAT and graduation rates. But there are some points raised by MCPS student journalists in a recent article about her that raised some questions.

Sounds like she was not licensed to work in Tennessee but did after her old mentor hired her. Seems like an important oversight. How could a school district admin not realize that you needed a state license?

The mentor who brought her to Tennessee was fired for various reasons “including failing to report sexual harassment claims.” Was she working there at the time? In what role and what was her involvement in this situation?

She failed to report a $4,000 consulting fee but that seems like a legit honest mistake and it looks like MCPS did look in to that.

The MCPS hiring process was not transparent and there seem to be some implications they cut corners. Someone from the board and MCPS needs to explain this further.

Who exactly will hold this Board accountable? MoCo Council? Ha! The Board have A LOT of explaining to do. The unredacted IG report needs to be released. That is our taxpayer's $ that was spent! Just as all industries are facing shortage, MoCO is facing one in finding competent humans to run for BOE and do the job they are elected to do.

The voters. That's how the system works.

You need to understand the system before you post. With incumbents running with no opposition, they will be back on the BOE. Some districts do not have more than one candidate so they will be elected as well. Why don't you run?

That's a strong indication that most people are happy with things and the few malcontents that post her are in the minority.

No it does not indicate that.
Few run, they do not want a 25k + health benefits headache gig.
Others run to take up space, do nothing, and earn 25k + health benefits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://montgomeryperspective.com/2024/02/05/new-proposed-interim-superintendent-has-baggage/

Worrisome info on her past…

Why are people so insistent on her being competent to do the job?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m really impressed by Felder’s achievements in Tennessee and North Carolina in terms of raising literacy, SAT and graduation rates. But there are some points raised by MCPS student journalists in a recent article about her that raised some questions.

Sounds like she was not licensed to work in Tennessee but did after her old mentor hired her. Seems like an important oversight. How could a school district admin not realize that you needed a state license?

The mentor who brought her to Tennessee was fired for various reasons “including failing to report sexual harassment claims.” Was she working there at the time? In what role and what was her involvement in this situation?

She failed to report a $4,000 consulting fee but that seems like a legit honest mistake and it looks like MCPS did look in to that.

The MCPS hiring process was not transparent and there seem to be some implications they cut corners. Someone from the board and MCPS needs to explain this further.

Who exactly will hold this Board accountable? MoCo Council? Ha! The Board have A LOT of explaining to do. The unredacted IG report needs to be released. That is our taxpayer's $ that was spent! Just as all industries are facing shortage, MoCO is facing one in finding competent humans to run for BOE and do the job they are elected to do.

The voters. That's how the system works.

You need to understand the system before you post. With incumbents running with no opposition, they will be back on the BOE. Some districts do not have more than one candidate so they will be elected as well. Why don't you run?

That's a strong indication that most people are happy with things and the few malcontents that post her are in the minority.

+1000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m really impressed by Felder’s achievements in Tennessee and North Carolina in terms of raising literacy, SAT and graduation rates. But there are some points raised by MCPS student journalists in a recent article about her that raised some questions.

Sounds like she was not licensed to work in Tennessee but did after her old mentor hired her. Seems like an important oversight. How could a school district admin not realize that you needed a state license?

The mentor who brought her to Tennessee was fired for various reasons “including failing to report sexual harassment claims.” Was she working there at the time? In what role and what was her involvement in this situation?

She failed to report a $4,000 consulting fee but that seems like a legit honest mistake and it looks like MCPS did look in to that.

The MCPS hiring process was not transparent and there seem to be some implications they cut corners. Someone from the board and MCPS needs to explain this further.

Who exactly will hold this Board accountable? MoCo Council? Ha! The Board have A LOT of explaining to do. The unredacted IG report needs to be released. That is our taxpayer's $ that was spent! Just as all industries are facing shortage, MoCO is facing one in finding competent humans to run for BOE and do the job they are elected to do.

The voters. That's how the system works.

You need to understand the system before you post. With incumbents running with no opposition, they will be back on the BOE. Some districts do not have more than one candidate so they will be elected as well. Why don't you run?

That's a strong indication that most people are happy with things and the few malcontents that post her are in the minority.

+1000

I think is a strong indication that the position as it is structured does not attract the best candidates.

It should be full time with a salary and staff equivalent to county council.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

The MCPS hiring process was not transparent and there seem to be some implications they cut corners. Someone from the board and MCPS needs to explain this further.

There are legitimate criticisms to be leveled, but this isn't one of them. We are in a unique situation here because the natural choice guy interim superintendent is implicated in the situation that caused Dr. McKnight to lose her job.

We can't just skate along with no one in that role, so the BOE had to act quickly and with a shallow bench. It sucks that Dr. McKnight and Brian Hull put us in this situation, but it is what it is. Let's give the new person a chance, if only to demonstrate to permanent candidates that this parent community is not in fact, completely impossible to work with.

How is the parent community to blame for this? Parents didn't fire Dr. McKnight. The BOE did. Parents asked for accountability and transparency from both McKnight and the BOE, which we have still to get from them, even surrounding her own resignation.

Parents are not the problem here. The BOE and MCPS culture and leadership is.

[Anonymous]

You people trying to tear down Dr. Felder are a bunch of MAGAs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You people trying to tear down Dr. Felder are a bunch of MAGAs.

That was also true with McKnight too but it didn't really matter in the end.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You people trying to tear down Dr. Felder are a bunch of MAGAs.

You are going to be on the wrong side of history with this silly rhetoric.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You people trying to tear down Dr. Felder are a bunch of MAGAs.

You are going to be on the wrong side of history with this silly rhetoric.

Maybe I'll be proven wrong but her appointment seems like business as usual. I don't think anything will change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know that I would necessarily think of a relatively small fee (4k in regards to a whole salary) as an income and I could see how she forgot it. I've made the same mistake when buying a home and forgot to count a small amount I made with dog walking during a short amount of time.

In any case I really would like to see this board not immediately villify the person in this position and give her a chance because it seems like she did have a positive impact otherwise. We're so quick to do this and then just immediately dismiss anything the person says/does.

LOL did your dog walking related to you pushing through hundreds of thousands of dollars in contracts to the dog owners?

It's not a small fee when it is coming from an education company trying to get business from the school system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You people trying to tear down Dr. Felder are a bunch of MAGAs.

Sure, sure. Lots of MAGAs here in Montgomery County.

[Anonymous]

What happened to Darryl L. Williams? Wasn't he in MCPS before? Did he leave after M.McKnight became Super?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What happened to Darryl L. Williams? Wasn't he in MCPS before? Did he leave after M.McKnight became Super?

He left MCPS 2019.