$2M no bid contract to Joftus wife? BOE to approve on 9/8

[Anonymous]

As a parent and total outsider to all of this except for living in Scott Joftus’s district, regardless whether this is all above board, legal and ethical, the appearance looks like banana republic type stuff. And this is the kind of stuff that eroded public confidence in institutions.

Im sure he and his wife are great people, but this situation should never have been allowed and it reflects poorly on the Board chair.

[Anonymous]

Here is the part of the meeting today about the Kid Museum contract. I learned some new information and thought it was an interesting discussion. The contract passed, with Joftus abstaining and Smondrowski voting against.

https://youtu.be/Yv5Jw33vCOo?t=10893

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a parent and total outsider to all of this except for living in Scott Joftus’s district, regardless whether this is all above board, legal and ethical, the appearance looks like banana republic type stuff. And this is the kind of stuff that eroded public confidence in institutions.

Im sure he and his wife are great people, but this situation should never have been allowed and it reflects poorly on the Board chair.

It really doesn't. The guy disclosed his conflicts of interest before starting this job and recused himself from any decision involving the kids museum. It was completely above board. This is just the usual drummed-up faux outrage to push some far-right agenda by a few unhinged uber Karens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a parent and total outsider to all of this except for living in Scott Joftus’s district, regardless whether this is all above board, legal and ethical, the appearance looks like banana republic type stuff. And this is the kind of stuff that eroded public confidence in institutions.

Im sure he and his wife are great people, but this situation should never have been allowed and it reflects poorly on the Board chair.

It really doesn't. The guy disclosed his conflicts of interest before starting this job and recused himself from any decision involving the kids museum. It was completely above board. This is just the usual drummed-up faux outrage to push some far-right agenda by a few unhinged uber Karens.

This. Most of them don't even have kids in MCPS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This disgusts me. What's the ROI in investing in this kids museum? If MC PS has money for that, they should have money to have a athletic trainer at every sports game. I just found out in my high school booster club meeting last night that we have a shortage of athletic trainers and that many of our schools don't have one this year I think I heard that only three high schools has an athletic trainer What happens if a student gets injured playing a sport? The athletic trainers are there to help them work through injuries, cramps, everything. MC PS is failing our student athletes.

MCPS is failing out students, period.

Yes, the money would be better served for so many other things - athletic trainers, teachers, paras. Anything.

This is a joke. Just one more way MCPS wastes taxpayer money. Business as usual.

Disagree! They spend plenty on students. Some just don't want to learn, and no amount of money will ever fix that. Opportunities that inspire kids like those provided by the Kids Museum are critical to their development.

And, that would be fine if for all that money they offered a free field trip to every student in MCPS but charging on top of that grant, even to low income schools and virtual students is absurd. MCPS is double playing for the use of the facility.

[Anonymous]

We don't have school nurses but yes, let's take the kids to a dopey museum where they can all run around for an afternoon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We don't have school nurses but yes, let's take the kids to a dopey museum where they can all run around for an afternoon.

School nurses are Department of Health employees, MCPS has nothing to do with nursing staffing.

[Anonymous]

Is this $2M above and over the $4M of ESSER III covid money that McKnight and the board gave Kid Museum?

[Anonymous]

These threads are sounding more and more like a simple smear campaign.

[Anonymous]

You didn't answer the question. Is it true? If it is, then why are you so defensive?

Why is MCPS (a Government public entity) even getting involved in Kid Museum (a commercial enterprise)?

Corruption is corruption and it should never be tolerated - especially in our school system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These threads are sounding more and more like a simple smear campaign.

I think it's just one person who's got this being there bonnet. Ironically the facts show this was completely above board. The guy disclosed his conflict of interests before assuming the position and recused himself from anything involving the kids museum. That's really all you need to know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These threads are sounding more and more like a simple smear campaign.

I think it's just one person who's got this being there bonnet. Ironically the facts show this was completely above board. The guy disclosed his conflict of interests before assuming the position and recused himself from anything involving the kids museum. That's really all you need to know.

Joftus never disclosed his conflict of interest before he took office. But it's important for you to keep repeating that lie. Congratulations to Julie Yang. She will unseat Joftus with ease in November.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These threads are sounding more and more like a simple smear campaign.

I think it's just one person who's got this being there bonnet. Ironically the facts show this was completely above board. The guy disclosed his conflict of interests before assuming the position and recused himself from anything involving the kids museum. That's really all you need to know.

Joftus never disclosed his conflict of interest before he took office. But it's important for you to keep repeating that lie. Congratulations to Julie Yang. She will unseat Joftus with ease in November.

Is it required to disclose conflicts of interest prior to taking office? Do you have any evidence that Joftus violated disclosure rules or ethics rules? Did Yang disclose her conflicts?

[Anonymous]

See article- apparently the superintendent claimed in the memo to the BOE there had been a bidding process for this contract, but that wasn’t the case.

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2022/09/08/mcps-says-clerical-error-led-to-concern-about-stem-program-contract/

Can the county council come in and review this given they fund MCPS? If so, how can that be requested?

This just seems way off….

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:See article- apparently the superintendent claimed in the memo to the BOE there had been a bidding process for this contract, but that wasn’t the case.

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2022/09/08/mcps-says-clerical-error-led-to-concern-about-stem-program-contract/

Can the county council come in and review this given they fund MCPS? If so, how can that be requested?

This just seems way off….

If you watch the youtube link from the meeting above, they explain it. It seems like much ado about nothing.