Washington Post article about Former Farquhar Administrator

[Anonymous]

Here is the MCPS policy regarding Sexual Harassment of MCPS Employees...

https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/policy/pdf/achra.pdf

Some highlights..

"Sexual harassment is actionable as employment discrimination if an
individual experiences unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual
favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Such
conduct constitutes sexual harassment when –

(1) submission to such conduct is made, either explicitly or implicitly,
a term or condition of an individual’s employment (i.e., quid pro quo
sexual harassment); or
(2) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used
as the basis for employment decisions affecting such individuals;
and/or
(3) such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering
with an individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating,
hostile, or offensive work environment."

"The superintendent of schools is directed to make every effort to make certain that
everyone affected by this policy shall be informed of its provisions and also
informed that infractions of the policy may be in violation of state or federal civil
and/or criminal laws, resulting in criminal penalties."

"The superintendent will report quarterly to the Board on reported sexual harassment
incidents and other compliance efforts, as required in this policy. The incident
reports shall include aggregated incident data from the preceding quarter. The
compliance report shall include complaint and resolution process evaluations and
improvements; training statistics and schedules; ongoing evaluation of work
environments in all MCPS schools, offices, and work locations; and any other
activities being planned or carried out by MCPS that are relevant to the successful
implementation of this policy."

[Anonymous]

Rule for thee and not for me

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are a lot of people who want to tear down McKnight and MCPS generally. Clearly there has to be accountability and maybe that should reach McKnight and maybe it shouldn’t but i really doubt that firing every person working in the central office is going to improve MCPS (although I know there are lots of people who post here who think that it will)

McKnight is one person, the highest paid and clearly was aware of the issue. Firing her doesn't mean firing the "entire central office". Allowing her to stay sends a signal they can just keep covering this sh$t up. Biedleman is not the only one, let's be absolutely clear about that.

Well it’s not entirely clear how much she knew and whether others were more culpable than her or not. I don’t know how many people need to go but asserting she has to go without knowing more suggests to me that you care more about getting rid of her than fixing the problem.

Heard of the buck stops here?

That's so last century. These days they just scapegoat some low-level person and call it a day

[Anonymous]

Any lawyers here that can speak as to whether Beidleman could face actual criminal harassment charges ?

[Anonymous]

Meanwhile, pre-service starts in a week and the MCPS community has heard NOTHING from the union, from McNight, or the BOE.

It seems like they have no idea of the level of discontent out there and also of how DEMORALIZING this whole thing is for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are a lot of people who want to tear down McKnight and MCPS generally. Clearly there has to be accountability and maybe that should reach McKnight and maybe it shouldn’t but i really doubt that firing every person working in the central office is going to improve MCPS (although I know there are lots of people who post here who think that it will)

McKnight is one person, the highest paid and clearly was aware of the issue. Firing her doesn't mean firing the "entire central office". Allowing her to stay sends a signal they can just keep covering this sh$t up. Biedleman is not the only one, let's be absolutely clear about that.

Well it’s not entirely clear how much she knew and whether others were more culpable than her or not. I don’t know how many people need to go but asserting she has to go without knowing more suggests to me that you care more about getting rid of her than fixing the problem.

To fix the problem, the Board of Education has to be more than just extremely part time, which means the salary has to be much higher, and they absolutely have to have their own, independent staff who work for the Board of Education, not MCPS. The Board of Education is supposed to set policy and provide oversight for MCPS, but right now, they're just a rubber stamp for MCPS.

I agree with this. The BOE should be a full-time, fully independent entity. They are way too enmeshed with MCPS to be a check on them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Outstanding investigative journalism. Kudos to all the women and men who shared their stories, and to the Post for assembling this reporting team and publishing the article.

+1 I get the impression this all came together very quickly, just since he was named principal at PBHS. This is an incredible piece to pull together, fact-check, and get through high-level editing on that timeframe.

o

Clearly a pattern of coercive behavior.

It is also worth noting, what is said to an journalist might differ from the info/specifics offered in a formal and anonymous complaint.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any lawyers here that can speak as to whether Beidleman could face actual criminal harassment charges ?

Unlikely.

The impacted staff will go after mcps because it has the deepest pockets and is likely to pay them to settle the lawsuits.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here is the MCPS policy regarding Sexual Harassment of MCPS Employees...

https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/policy/pdf/achra.pdf

Some highlights..

"Sexual harassment is actionable as employment discrimination if an
individual experiences unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual
favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature. Such
conduct constitutes sexual harassment when –

(1) submission to such conduct is made, either explicitly or implicitly,
a term or condition of an individual’s employment (i.e., quid pro quo
sexual harassment); or
(2) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used
as the basis for employment decisions affecting such individuals;
and/or
(3) such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering
with an individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating,
hostile, or offensive work environment."

"The superintendent of schools is directed to make every effort to make certain that
everyone affected by this policy shall be informed of its provisions and also
informed that infractions of the policy may be in violation of state or federal civil
and/or criminal laws, resulting in criminal penalties."

"The superintendent will report quarterly to the Board on reported sexual harassment
incidents and other compliance efforts, as required in this policy. The incident
reports shall include aggregated incident data from the preceding quarter. The
compliance report shall include complaint and resolution process evaluations and
improvements; training statistics and schedules; ongoing evaluation of work
environments in all MCPS schools, offices, and work locations; and any other
activities being planned or carried out by MCPS that are relevant to the successful
implementation of this policy."

she had to know. two things i find puzzling - with this amount of hard evidence, how is there not a lawsuit yet? I hope these ladies sue and get very sizeable settlements. Second, in this day and age, how none of the students/employees videotaped him in one of those public assemblies and havent put it on tiktoc or youtube anonymously? It would have exploded and there is no way to hush something like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Meanwhile, pre-service starts in a week and the MCPS community has heard NOTHING from the union, from McNight, or the BOE.

It seems like they have no idea of the level of discontent out there and also of how DEMORALIZING this whole thing is for everyone.

What does staff want mcps to say or do?

They are likely carefully evaluating next steps to mitigate damage (read: trying to minimize payouts). Everyone will get paid: victims as well as the principal and superintendent who will quietly walk away after signing NDAs.

[Anonymous]

I want MCPS to say, at least to current farquhar staff, “if you weren’t heard before, or were too afraid to speak out before, you can do it now contacting xyz independent investigator. We will have trauma counselors available on campus to assist during pre-service week”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are a lot of people who want to tear down McKnight and MCPS generally. Clearly there has to be accountability and maybe that should reach McKnight and maybe it shouldn’t but i really doubt that firing every person working in the central office is going to improve MCPS (although I know there are lots of people who post here who think that it will)

You can't dissect a rotten fish and eat it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I want MCPS to say, at least to current farquhar staff, “if you weren’t heard before, or were too afraid to speak out before, you can do it now contacting xyz independent investigator. We will have trauma counselors available on campus to assist during pre-service week”

Makes sense.

Hopefully mcps will listen and take action. I suspect someone will message something along those lines as you return to school. They probably won’t put it in writing and instead opt for an in-person meeting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:First female superintendant. How ridiculous this all is, in the name of racial and gender optics trusting our kids education to predators and incompetents. A snake that eats its own tail - that’s the limousine liberals’ politics of Moco. I used to be moderately democrat. If McKinght keeps her job after this, i will donate to whoever campaigns to unseat the current Board of Education. Hope many other responsible parents will do too.

Count me in. I still am a moderate Democrat but promoting people who can't do a job in a satisfactory way is against what I believe in. I believe raising all ships with the tide. These far left policies believe in dragging everyone down with the lowest anchor and hoping no one notices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:McKnight needs to step down immediately or be terminated for cause. At worst this is complicity in years-long sexual harassment; at best it’s gross incompetence. Either way she cannot be allowed to retain her position and state officials should personally intervene to make sure she gets the axe if the BOE won’t fire her.

THIS.