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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Could that be reason Mooney tried to get rid of Engler, if there were already some other stuff in Engler's file which "justified" removing him from the school? Wasn't he also a crew coach? For the boys team, or the girls?

Yes, he coached the boys crew team. Similar to MCPS, the crew board made a knee jerk reaction and fired him. When he was coach the team won championships, was motivated and full of hard working kids. Since his termination the BCC boys crew team has become a joke in the DC rowing community - no sense of camaraderie, zero motivation, and tons of losses on the river.

It was not a knee jerk reaction for the crew board to fire him. There was a long history of other problems with him, and the racism incident was the straw that broke the camel’s back. His incident also came at a time when the rowing community had already confronted problems with 2 other coaches - Shipley (Whitman) who groomed girls on the Whitman crew for sexual relationships (to be clear, Engler was not involved in that), and the Wilson coach, who had formerly coached for BCC, and who made some inappropriate and callous remarks about a young African American kid from DC who died in a drowning. So, also in the broader context of the rowing community, there was little tolerance for more alleged racism or bad behavior.

FWIW, many crew parents hoped for more than just championships, but also lessons in how to be a good sport, support teammates and be inclusive. In his own defense, I felt like Dan deliberately stirred up a mentality among the boys that excused his behavior because he was a winner. As a crew parent, I found it pretty distasteful for my kids to be used in that fashion. There are many kids who would say their crew experience was not good - perhaps that contributes to the poor morale.

[Anonymous]

Getting to wherever it is they row is an after school activity just on its own. Busing to Bladensburg or taking a metro to Georgetown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I don’t know if Engler was a racist but I do know he was part of a trio of terrible, arrogant IB teachers at BCC, Holpt, Engler and Sir (I mean Mr.) Richard. I suspect there was some truth the claims of racism but unfortunately Mooney fumbled it.


One of the colleagues used to have issues with him as well. She felt talked down and that he was a bit chauvinistic on his replies to her. I didn’t spoke to the dude or witnessed their interactions, but that’s what she told me.

He was not a good teacher. He ran a side business repairing/maintaining crew shells & would drive all over MoCo during the school day for this which meant that he was often late (or missed) class. He often looked disheveled and my DD suspected he was drinking during the day at school. He was also chauvinistic, although my DD did not experience him being racist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I don’t know if Engler was a racist but I do know he was part of a trio of terrible, arrogant IB teachers at BCC, Holpt, Engler and Sir (I mean Mr.) Richard. I suspect there was some truth the claims of racism but unfortunately Mooney fumbled it.


One of the colleagues used to have issues with him as well. She felt talked down and that he was a bit chauvinistic on his replies to her. I didn’t spoke to the dude or witnessed their interactions, but that’s what she told me.

He was not a good teacher. He ran a side business repairing/maintaining crew shells & would drive all over MoCo during the school day for this which meant that he was often late (or missed) class. He often looked disheveled and my DD suspected he was drinking during the day at school. He was also chauvinistic, although my DD did not experience him being racist.

Maybe that's why some PP suggested there could have been other things in his file to lead to a firing for this incident. Looks like he had already started working at another MCPHS before case was decided.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I don’t know if Engler was a racist but I do know he was part of a trio of terrible, arrogant IB teachers at BCC, Holpt, Engler and Sir (I mean Mr.) Richard. I suspect there was some truth the claims of racism but unfortunately Mooney fumbled it.


One of the colleagues used to have issues with him as well. She felt talked down and that he was a bit chauvinistic on his replies to her. I didn’t spoke to the dude or witnessed their interactions, but that’s what she told me.

He was not a good teacher. He ran a side business repairing/maintaining crew shells & would drive all over MoCo during the school day for this which meant that he was often late (or missed) class. He often looked disheveled and my DD suspected he was drinking during the day at school. He was also chauvinistic, although my DD did not experience him being racist.

For how long had he been teaching at B-CC before 2023?

[Anonymous]

I'm not surprised to read about all this backstory, and indeed I surmised he might be an abrasive type, otherwise neither the students nor the Principal would have been in such a hurry to see him out the door. But it's still the fault of MCPS for not having done things correctly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I don’t know if Engler was a racist but I do know he was part of a trio of terrible, arrogant IB teachers at BCC, Holpt, Engler and Sir (I mean Mr.) Richard. I suspect there was some truth the claims of racism but unfortunately Mooney fumbled it.


One of the colleagues used to have issues with him as well. She felt talked down and that he was a bit chauvinistic on his replies to her. I didn’t spoke to the dude or witnessed their interactions, but that’s what she told me.

He was not a good teacher. He ran a side business repairing/maintaining crew shells & would drive all over MoCo during the school day for this which meant that he was often late (or missed) class. He often looked disheveled and my DD suspected he was drinking during the day at school. He was also chauvinistic, although my DD did not experience him being racist.

I'm a teacher. How in the world do you just not show up because you are continually driving around the county on a side gig? Who is covering his classes all that time? I don't know of an AP that would put up for that very long. How was he not get disciplined for this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I don’t know if Engler was a racist but I do know he was part of a trio of terrible, arrogant IB teachers at BCC, Holpt, Engler and Sir (I mean Mr.) Richard. I suspect there was some truth the claims of racism but unfortunately Mooney fumbled it.


One of the colleagues used to have issues with him as well. She felt talked down and that he was a bit chauvinistic on his replies to her. I didn’t spoke to the dude or witnessed their interactions, but that’s what she told me.

He was not a good teacher. He ran a side business repairing/maintaining crew shells & would drive all over MoCo during the school day for this which meant that he was often late (or missed) class. He often looked disheveled and my DD suspected he was drinking during the day at school. He was also chauvinistic, although my DD did not experience him being racist.

I'm a teacher. How in the world do you just not show up because you are continually driving around the county on a side gig? Who is covering his classes all that time? I don't know of an AP that would put up for that very long. How was he not get disciplined for this?

Because PP is lying/spreading rumors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I don’t know if Engler was a racist but I do know he was part of a trio of terrible, arrogant IB teachers at BCC, Holpt, Engler and Sir (I mean Mr.) Richard. I suspect there was some truth the claims of racism but unfortunately Mooney fumbled it.


One of the colleagues used to have issues with him as well. She felt talked down and that he was a bit chauvinistic on his replies to her. I didn’t spoke to the dude or witnessed their interactions, but that’s what she told me.

He was not a good teacher. He ran a side business repairing/maintaining crew shells & would drive all over MoCo during the school day for this which meant that he was often late (or missed) class. He often looked disheveled and my DD suspected he was drinking during the day at school. He was also chauvinistic, although my DD did not experience him being racist.

I'm a teacher. How in the world do you just not show up because you are continually driving around the county on a side gig? Who is covering his classes all that time? I don't know of an AP that would put up for that very long. How was he not get disciplined for this?

Which AP finally had enough? Is that what you are asking?

[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:

Notice how there was no mention of any of this at today’s BOE meeting.

[Anonymous]

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.

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:

Notice how there was no mention of any of this at today’s BOE meeting.

Of course not. The BOE is allergic to accountability.

[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.

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:

Notice how there was no mention of any of this at today’s BOE meeting.

Of course not. The BOE is allergic to accountability.

How do these people (mcps too) sleep at night?