Washington Post article about Former Farquhar Administrator

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had a really problematic situation with my then-principal and after reading this article am so glad I didn't bother filing a formal complaint at the time. I left the county instead and probably spared myself a lot of heartache. I would have been gas-lit into oblivion. I felt bad at the time that I didn't report and potentially protect colleagues, but I think it would have done nothing to help others. I have no idea if others were harmed, but the guy is still principal at that same school.

Which school?

[Anonymous]

True MCPS retaliation story: my principal didn't like me - there were a lot of issues at the school and I spoke up about them - so she advertised my position as open. Imagine my surprise when I casually scanned the list of job openings and saw my own job on there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think we all know why this guy was allowed to get away with predatory behavior for so long. Absolutely disgusting and also compelling grounds to terminate McKnight immediately as superintendent.

Agreed. Here's a quote from the expose: "Two Farquhar teachers said they reported Beidleman’s conduct in fall 2021 and spring 2022 to Safe Schools Maryland, an anonymous reporting service run by the state that routes reports from Montgomery County to MCPS’s Department of Safety and Security. In May 2022, one of them anonymously emailed Superintendent Monifa McKnight and the school board that Beidleman emotionally abused and sexually harassed staff, according to the letter, which they provided to The Post. To the teachers’ knowledge, the district didn’t address the complaints."

Safe Schools Maryland is supposed to (and does) immediately report to the Principal of the school where the report is made -- but since it was against the principal, in this case, it would have likely gone to Ed Clarke, head of Safety and Security, or at minimum the multi-cluster security supervisor. Safety and Security, however, operate in a separate silo from Central Office -- but that office should have reported the concerns to both the area superintendent and director. Rotunda Floyd-Cooper was the Area Superintendent starting July 2022 -- she left the system after 8 months in that role. There's a long daisy chain of accountability in here...Donna Redmond Jones, who was previously a Director, and before that principal at B-CC High School, took over her role and would have been looking at this high school principal appointment. And McKnight's chief of staff, Patrick Murphy, would have been involved in Dr. Beidlelman's Paint Branch appointment.

The State of Maryland Attorney General's office needs to investigate -- it needs to come out of MoCo. Also, what Board of Ed members paid any attention to the complaint? Or did they toss it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think we all know why this guy was allowed to get away with predatory behavior for so long. Absolutely disgusting and also compelling grounds to terminate McKnight immediately as superintendent.

Agreed. Here's a quote from the expose: "Two Farquhar teachers said they reported Beidleman’s conduct in fall 2021 and spring 2022 to Safe Schools Maryland, an anonymous reporting service run by the state that routes reports from Montgomery County to MCPS’s Department of Safety and Security. In May 2022, one of them anonymously emailed Superintendent Monifa McKnight and the school board that Beidleman emotionally abused and sexually harassed staff, according to the letter, which they provided to The Post. To the teachers’ knowledge, the district didn’t address the complaints."

Safe Schools Maryland is supposed to (and does) immediately report to the Principal of the school where the report is made -- but since it was against the principal, in this case, it would have likely gone to Ed Clarke, head of Safety and Security, or at minimum the multi-cluster security supervisor. Safety and Security, however, operate in a separate silo from Central Office -- but that office should have reported the concerns to both the area superintendent and director. Rotunda Floyd-Cooper was the Area Superintendent starting July 2022 -- she left the system after 8 months in that role. There's a long daisy chain of accountability in here...Donna Redmond Jones, who was previously a Director, and before that principal at B-CC High School, took over her role and would have been looking at this high school principal appointment. And McKnight's chief of staff, Patrick Murphy, would have been involved in Dr. Beidlelman's Paint Branch appointment.

The State of Maryland Attorney General's office needs to investigate -- it needs to come out of MoCo. Also, what Board of Ed members paid any attention to the complaint? Or did they toss it?

Patrick Murphy is the deputy superintendent. Chief of staff is Brian Stockton.

[Anonymous]

Former MCPS teacher and union bldg rep here. This goes on in other counties in MD where I worked also and my experience is that it's primarily female admin who I have observed to be blatant bullies with zero fear on their part of any repercussions. They can make a teacher's life miserable very fast. They can do an observation at the worst time, etc. They have favorites who do no wrong. There needs to be an independent state reporting agency made up of other than former school staff to hear and investigate claims of admin bullying and harassment. It's rampant in Maryland and it's a huge contributor for our teacher shortage. And, yes, I reported people myself but they were not in MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think we all know why this guy was allowed to get away with predatory behavior for so long. Absolutely disgusting and also compelling grounds to terminate McKnight immediately as superintendent.

Agreed. Here's a quote from the expose: "Two Farquhar teachers said they reported Beidleman’s conduct in fall 2021 and spring 2022 to Safe Schools Maryland, an anonymous reporting service run by the state that routes reports from Montgomery County to MCPS’s Department of Safety and Security. In May 2022, one of them anonymously emailed Superintendent Monifa McKnight and the school board that Beidleman emotionally abused and sexually harassed staff, according to the letter, which they provided to The Post. To the teachers’ knowledge, the district didn’t address the complaints."

Safe Schools Maryland is supposed to (and does) immediately report to the Principal of the school where the report is made -- but since it was against the principal, in this case, it would have likely gone to Ed Clarke, head of Safety and Security, or at minimum the multi-cluster security supervisor. Safety and Security, however, operate in a separate silo from Central Office -- but that office should have reported the concerns to both the area superintendent and director. Rotunda Floyd-Cooper was the Area Superintendent starting July 2022 -- she left the system after 8 months in that role. There's a long daisy chain of accountability in here...Donna Redmond Jones, who was previously a Director, and before that principal at B-CC High School, took over her role and would have been looking at this high school principal appointment. And McKnight's chief of staff, Patrick Murphy, would have been involved in Dr. Beidlelman's Paint Branch appointment.

The State of Maryland Attorney General's office needs to investigate -- it needs to come out of MoCo. Also, what Board of Ed members paid any attention to the complaint? Or did they toss it?

Patrick Murphy is the deputy superintendent. Chief of staff is Brian Stockton.

Yes -- thank you. Murphy acts a lot like McKnight's COS...he's the one who everyone adds/looks to to get things done.

[Anonymous]

Along with her friends, there's an awful lot of newbies at the top that McKnight brought in, like Murphy and Stockton, and none of them know what they're doing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I bet Joel Beidleman is in one of the divine 9 fraternities and thats why he could get away with so much because mcps leaders who are also in the divine 9 knowingly covered for him. Dr. McKnight is in one of the divine 9 sororities. They all cover for each other and promote within.

He is in a fraternity. Which are the divine 9? There is a group of central office women who look at for each other. Check out Dr. Handy who was president of their principals' union too. Known to help her sisters out.

He is Omega psi phi. Purple and Gold

What's with the sorority and the fraternity members at the central office?! I know PG has a strong sorority connection and if you are a sister you can move up. I used to work in education and saw that frequently.

Alexandra - this could be a different angle to cover and it combines two of your books nicely!

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. is a college Black Greek letter fraternity founded on November 17, 1911 by three undergraduate students and their graduate advisor on the campus of Howard University

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Along with her friends, there's an awful lot of newbies at the top that McKnight brought in, like Murphy and Stockton, and none of them know what they're doing.

They're new to MCPS, but Murphy was previously superintendent of schools in Berkeley County, WV and in Arlington, and before that assistant superintendent in Fairfax. Stockton was chief of staff in Arlington and in Memphis and assistant commissioner of the Tennessee Dept. of Education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First of all, Khalid Walker take the claims but does not determine whether they move forward into an investigation. That is up to Michaels Simmons and Greg Edmundson who should be directly responsibility and the most heat for this. Their names should be plastered all over the news regarding the gross mishandling of this scandal

This was written by Khalid Walker or his partner/friend. Khalid should have disagreed with his superiors if they told him this case was closed. Otherwise, Khalid is just collecting a paycheck.

How do you know he didn't?

Michaele Simmons had the ultimate say as she reviews every claim and determines whether they go forward or not

And Michaele Simmons is a former principal herself (Weller Road ES).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d love an ama with that teacher who praised him to wapo (though apparently knew the allegations were true.) girl, you need to run your media decisions by someone else next time.

Yes.

But it’s also interesting and I want to know why he chose his victims.

I was wondering about that too. Maybe he wasn’t all bad but it seems a weird time to praise him.

Did I read here or was it in the article that all his victims were white women?

I had a hunch about the teacher who defended him. I googled her to see if my hunch was correct or not. Oh geez, my hunch was correct. This is such a bad look and will do so much damage to racial progress.

Give it a rest-now is not the time for your racist musings. The guy is the worst, that teacher is a dummy, mcps an absolutely failed institution. See? No need to speculate about race and postulate racial conspiracies there isn’t evidence of.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’d love an ama with that teacher who praised him to wapo (though apparently knew the allegations were true.) girl, you need to run your media decisions by someone else next time.

Yes.

But it’s also interesting and I want to know why he chose his victims.

I was wondering about that too. Maybe he wasn’t all bad but it seems a weird time to praise him.

Did I read here or was it in the article that all his victims were white women?

I had a hunch about the teacher who defended him. I googled her to see if my hunch was correct or not. Oh geez, my hunch was correct. This is such a bad look and will do so much damage to racial progress.

Give it a rest-now is not the time for your racist musings. The guy is the worst, that teacher is a dummy, mcps an absolutely failed institution. See? No need to speculate about race and postulate racial conspiracies there isn’t evidence of.

MCPS makes everything about race. For students, staff and stats.

Take it up with MCPS if you do not want to discuss ‘racist musings’.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First of all, Khalid Walker take the claims but does not determine whether they move forward into an investigation. That is up to Michaels Simmons and Greg Edmundson who should be directly responsibility and the most heat for this. Their names should be plastered all over the news regarding the gross mishandling of this scandal

This was written by Khalid Walker or his partner/friend. Khalid should have disagreed with his superiors if they told him this case was closed. Otherwise, Khalid is just collecting a paycheck.

How do you know he didn't?

Michaele Simmons had the ultimate say as she reviews every claim and determines whether they go forward or not

And Michaele Simmons is a former principal herself (Weller Road ES).

She’s still in compliance?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:First of all, Khalid Walker take the claims but does not determine whether they move forward into an investigation. That is up to Michaels Simmons and Greg Edmundson who should be directly responsibility and the most heat for this. Their names should be plastered all over the news regarding the gross mishandling of this scandal

This was written by Khalid Walker or his partner/friend. Khalid should have disagreed with his superiors if they told him this case was closed. Otherwise, Khalid is just collecting a paycheck.

How do you know he didn't?

Michaele Simmons had the ultimate say as she reviews every claim and determines whether they go forward or not

And Michaele Simmons is a former principal herself (Weller Road ES).

She’s still in compliance?

Yes she is !

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With regard to the deleting, in general Jeff removes posts that name specific individuals. I'm guessing that the rationale is that this site is anonymous and anyone could say anything about anyone.

But the WaPo article is well-researched and includes individuals willing to be named as victims, which feels much different than past posts.

Regarding the article (and the situation itself), I'm shocked. I work in a male-dominated field where some "locker room talk" is tolerated but even my workplace would never stand for this level of documented harassment.

I'm wondering how race and gender play into this. In my field, inappropriate remarks are tolerated because the entire environment is so male-dominated that women are expected to just...deal with it.

In this case, you have a young(ish) Black man in a field dominated by white women. Is there an element of "glass elevator" in play? Pushing him forward even as he faced allegations that would have killed the careers of someone who the Powers That Be had a little bit less invested in?

I’m not (yet) familiar with this case. However, as a teacher, I’ve definitely seen that elevator in action. Actually, I think there’s an elevator for most men in education. For African-American men, it’s often a glass rocketship.