MCPS pays Bethany Mandel's cabal $125K for using public Twitter for a private staff club

[Anonymous]

Maybe she can use the money to hire tutors as I cannot imagine her kids are learning that much: https://betweencarpools.com/homeschooling/

If she homeschools, why is she commenting on MCPS when she has zero experience with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe she can use the money to hire tutors as I cannot imagine her kids are learning that much: https://betweencarpools.com/homeschooling/

If she homeschools, why is she commenting on MCPS when she has zero experience with it.

Once again: Regardless of whether you send your children to public school, everyone is entitled to engage with and provide feedback on MCPS because it is taxpayer-funded, and as a state and county taxpayer, regardless of what you think of her politics, she is a stakeholder in MCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She’s a hateful bully who is clearly troubled from what frankly sounds like a horrendous childhood and seeks attention.

Is she still homeschooling her 5 children? She should be focusing on that.

If she homeschools why is she trolling MCPS?

Because she is a professional troll.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m not on twitter but wasn’t it common to block someone on Twitter if they were being obnoxious, disruptive or bullying? Seems likely that’s what happened here. I get a public entity is different than a private one but they should still be able to block users who are disruptive or harassing.

The government (MCPS) prohibited the free speech of a person. If the government uses SM it has to either all comments or none, it cannot discriminate based on who they want to hear or be heard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe she can use the money to hire tutors as I cannot imagine her kids are learning that much: https://betweencarpools.com/homeschooling/

If she homeschools, why is she commenting on MCPS when she has zero experience with it.

She ran for school board. It's the lowest rung on the ladder. People in Mandel's posse re doing this all across the country.

One lesson in how to take over a country and MAGA it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe she can use the money to hire tutors as I cannot imagine her kids are learning that much: https://betweencarpools.com/homeschooling/

If she homeschools, why is she commenting on MCPS when she has zero experience with it.

Once again: Regardless of whether you send your children to public school, everyone is entitled to engage with and provide feedback on MCPS because it is taxpayer-funded, and as a state and county taxpayer, regardless of what you think of her politics, she is a stakeholder in MCPS.

Every citizen is a stakeholder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not on twitter but wasn’t it common to block someone on Twitter if they were being obnoxious, disruptive or bullying? Seems likely that’s what happened here. I get a public entity is different than a private one but they should still be able to block users who are disruptive or harassing.

Yes, and yes. And was this even an official MCPS Twitter account?

Yes, it was an official MCPS Twitter account, labeled as such and run by staffers.

If it is an official government account I don’t think it can block people. There was litigation about this re Twitter during the first Trump administration and also Larry Hogan was blocking people on his facebook page.

The basis of the Hogan lawsuit, though, was that he was an elected official and blocking access violated the rights of constituents to access him and his office. In this case, though, teachers are not elected officials and don't have constituents in the same way.

I dunno. I think MCPS tried to protect its staff from a known hate-monger, and then decided to throw money at her to settle, but fundamentally I walk away from this thinking MCPS was in the right.

They certainly could have blocked her if she was inappropriate or disruptive. but not just because they don’t like her politics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:$250K payout for blocking Bethany Mandel's Twitter account from connecting to MCPS saff LGBTQ club's Twitter account (https://x.com/PRIDEeducators) that never should have existed in the first place.

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/07/02/mcps-settlement-first-amendment-suit/

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) recently reached a $125,000 settlement in a lawsuit filed by two county residents over alleged violations of the First Amendment, according to statements from MCPS and lawyers for the county residents.

The suit, filed by America First Legal (AFL), alleged that MCPS violated the rights of Matthew Foldi, a reporter for The Spectator, and conservative commentator Bethany Mandel, by preventing them from attending a 2023 county school board meeting in person, and by blocking them from accessing an LGBTQ+ MCPS staff affinity group social media page. In September, a federal judge dismissed two of the three allegations in the case, leaving the claim concerning access to the LGBTQ+ staff affinity group social media page.

MCPS staff, the school system is not your public playground. Do your jobs, and mess around on Twitter on your own time.

Oh screw off America legal is Stephen millers hate group
And Mandel is garbage not worth the air she breathes
Her children should be removed from her home

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not on twitter but wasn’t it common to block someone on Twitter if they were being obnoxious, disruptive or bullying? Seems likely that’s what happened here. I get a public entity is different than a private one but they should still be able to block users who are disruptive or harassing.

Yes, and yes. And was this even an official MCPS Twitter account?

Yes, it was an official MCPS Twitter account, labeled as such and run by staffers.

If it is an official government account I don’t think it can block people. There was litigation about this re Twitter during the first Trump administration and also Larry Hogan was blocking people on his facebook page.

The basis of the Hogan lawsuit, though, was that he was an elected official and blocking access violated the rights of constituents to access him and his office. In this case, though, teachers are not elected officials and don't have constituents in the same way.

I dunno. I think MCPS tried to protect its staff from a known hate-monger, and then decided to throw money at her to settle, but fundamentally I walk away from this thinking MCPS was in the right.

They certainly could have blocked her if she was inappropriate or disruptive. but not just because they don’t like her politics.

Mandel is heinous restless crap she tourtured people she should not have gotten a dime

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe she can use the money to hire tutors as I cannot imagine her kids are learning that much: https://betweencarpools.com/homeschooling/

If she homeschools, why is she commenting on MCPS when she has zero experience with it.

Once again: Regardless of whether you send your children to public school, everyone is entitled to engage with and provide feedback on MCPS because it is taxpayer-funded, and as a state and county taxpayer, regardless of what you think of her politics, she is a stakeholder in MCPS.

Her comments aren't helpful if she has zero experience with kids in school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not on twitter but wasn’t it common to block someone on Twitter if they were being obnoxious, disruptive or bullying? Seems likely that’s what happened here. I get a public entity is different than a private one but they should still be able to block users who are disruptive or harassing.

Yes, and yes. And was this even an official MCPS Twitter account?

Yes, it was an official MCPS Twitter account, labeled as such and run by staffers.

If it is an official government account I don’t think it can block people. There was litigation about this re Twitter during the first Trump administration and also Larry Hogan was blocking people on his facebook page.

The basis of the Hogan lawsuit, though, was that he was an elected official and blocking access violated the rights of constituents to access him and his office. In this case, though, teachers are not elected officials and don't have constituents in the same way.

I dunno. I think MCPS tried to protect its staff from a known hate-monger, and then decided to throw money at her to settle, but fundamentally I walk away from this thinking MCPS was in the right.

They certainly could have blocked her if she was inappropriate or disruptive. but not just because they don’t like her politics.

Mandel is heinous restless crap she tourtured people she should not have gotten a dime

She's looking to cash in as she's desperate for money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe she can use the money to hire tutors as I cannot imagine her kids are learning that much: https://betweencarpools.com/homeschooling/

If she homeschools, why is she commenting on MCPS when she has zero experience with it.

She ran for school board. It's the lowest rung on the ladder. People in Mandel's posse re doing this all across the country.

One lesson in how to take over a country and MAGA it.

There are a bunch of the failed people who ran for BOE lingering on Twitter commenting useless comments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe she can use the money to hire tutors as I cannot imagine her kids are learning that much: https://betweencarpools.com/homeschooling/

If she homeschools, why is she commenting on MCPS when she has zero experience with it.

Once again: Regardless of whether you send your children to public school, everyone is entitled to engage with and provide feedback on MCPS because it is taxpayer-funded, and as a state and county taxpayer, regardless of what you think of her politics, she is a stakeholder in MCPS.

The difference is that this was an employee affiliate group. Are random members of the public allowed to join those at your employer?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe she can use the money to hire tutors as I cannot imagine her kids are learning that much: https://betweencarpools.com/homeschooling/

If she homeschools, why is she commenting on MCPS when she has zero experience with it.

Once again: Regardless of whether you send your children to public school, everyone is entitled to engage with and provide feedback on MCPS because it is taxpayer-funded, and as a state and county taxpayer, regardless of what you think of her politics, she is a stakeholder in MCPS.

The difference is that this was an employee affiliate group. Are random members of the public allowed to join those at your employer?

It was public on Twitter. It wasn’t a private group that someone had to join. Once again, MCPS administrators and staff get really bad legal advice and lose in court. This was easily avoided but instead parents just lost a teacher position or two to pay out to this group.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe she can use the money to hire tutors as I cannot imagine her kids are learning that much: https://betweencarpools.com/homeschooling/

If she homeschools, why is she commenting on MCPS when she has zero experience with it.

Once again: Regardless of whether you send your children to public school, everyone is entitled to engage with and provide feedback on MCPS because it is taxpayer-funded, and as a state and county taxpayer, regardless of what you think of her politics, she is a stakeholder in MCPS.

The difference is that this was an employee affiliate group. Are random members of the public allowed to join those at your employer?

It was public on Twitter. It wasn’t a private group that someone had to join. Once again, MCPS administrators and staff get really bad legal advice and lose in court. This was easily avoided but instead parents just lost a teacher position or two to pay out to this group.

Correct. If this was a closed, internal group. No problem. But it was a public social platform and they selectively tried to exclude people from accessing this public-facing profile based on their viewpoints. MCPS did this to themselves.