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

[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

Right, if Mooney drafted the letter including the made-up quote, and then sent it to central office for approval, how would they know the quote was made up?

That's my big question

Me too. Did anyone see the testimony? I guess it’s possible he didn’t write that quote — that the McPS PR people wrote or edited something and that’s how it ended up that way. I’ve heard principals are slow to respond to things because every word needs to be vetted by central before it goes out …. You would think that lawyers are reviewing but that doesn’t seem to be the case here. At a minimum, the letter should have said “One or more students has alleged that …” which it didn’t say.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ironically the BOE will get an update on legal fees YTD through April. Non SpEd legal fees alone are $3.8million!!!!

That's a good point, how much did they spend on attorney and staff time on this.

Apparently not enough on quality attorneys and staff if they didn't anticipate that having the BCC principal go on the stand and testify that he had made up quotes defaming the teacher would be a problem with the jury. They might have been able to settle this case for a lot less than $500k had they competent counsel at the beginning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is Mooney off the hook?

Because this is Mcps.

He’s screwed up so many time. BCC deserves better. It’s been declining sharply under Mooney.

Correct. I’m a BCC parent and think that Mooney is a nice person but completely in over his head as Principal. He is utterly incompetent in that role.

Any chance Mooney gets transferred out to cushy pasture at the central office in time for the new academic year? BCC has had enough of him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is Mooney off the hook?

Because this is Mcps.

He’s screwed up so many time. BCC deserves better. It’s been declining sharply under Mooney.

Correct. I’m a BCC parent and think that Mooney is a nice person but completely in over his head as Principal. He is utterly incompetent in that role.

Any chance Mooney gets transferred out to cushy pasture at the central office in time for the new academic year? BCC has had enough of him.

Who do you think would want to replace him?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is Mooney off the hook?

Because this is Mcps.

He’s screwed up so many time. BCC deserves better. It’s been declining sharply under Mooney.

Correct. I’m a BCC parent and think that Mooney is a nice person but completely in over his head as Principal. He is utterly incompetent in that role.

Any chance Mooney gets transferred out to cushy pasture at the central office in time for the new academic year? BCC has had enough of him.

Who do you think would want to replace him?

Oh please. There are plenty of ambitious assistant principals who wouldn't mind a promotion.

[Anonymous]

Wow. between the Supreme Court loss and this, I hope MCPS has learned its lesson.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow. between the Supreme Court loss and this, I hope MCPS has learned its lesson.

You would hope.
Probably not though.

[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

Right, if Mooney drafted the letter including the made-up quote, and then sent it to central office for approval, how would they know the quote was made up?

That's my big question

They wouldn't know that he made up the quote, and that goes to how MCPS investigates and addresses incidents like these to begin with.

Correct. The failure here is that MCPS had inadequate oversight, procedures and leadership that enabled a principal to come up with and broadcast a lie about a teacher and not catch it before it was sent out to the public and cause reputational harm to said teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow. between the Supreme Court loss and this, I hope MCPS has learned its lesson.

You would hope.
Probably not though.

They absolutely will not. The arrogance within MCPS is unlike anything else I've ever seen before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow. between the Supreme Court loss and this, I hope MCPS has learned its lesson.

You would hope.
Probably not though.

They absolutely will not. The arrogance within MCPS is unlike anything else I've ever seen before.

Well, that is what happens when you have a dilettante Board who doesn't engage in oversight and a central office that likes it that way.

[Anonymous]

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.

Isn't that what the antiracism audit and action plan that MCPS spent millions of taxpayer dollars on in consulting fees and staffing supposed to be combatting?

It can only combat racism if there are consequences. This loss is going to scare MCPS off consequences for the people who need them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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

Right, if Mooney drafted the letter including the made-up quote, and then sent it to central office for approval, how would they know the quote was made up?

That's my big question

They wouldn't know that he made up the quote, and that goes to how MCPS investigates and addresses incidents like these to begin with.

Correct. The failure here is that MCPS had inadequate oversight, procedures and leadership that enabled a principal to come up with and broadcast a lie about a teacher and not catch it before it was sent out to the public and cause reputational harm to said teacher.

But also there's Mooney's failure in making up the fake quote in the first place. Principals should know better than that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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

Right, if Mooney drafted the letter including the made-up quote, and then sent it to central office for approval, how would they know the quote was made up?

That's my big question

They wouldn't know that he made up the quote, and that goes to how MCPS investigates and addresses incidents like these to begin with.

Correct. The failure here is that MCPS had inadequate oversight, procedures and leadership that enabled a principal to come up with and broadcast a lie about a teacher and not catch it before it was sent out to the public and cause reputational harm to said teacher.

But also there's Mooney's failure in making up the fake quote in the first place. Principals should know better than that.

Maybe some central office comms person word-smithed it and made it more slanderous--I can't imagine Mooney spending that much time writing press releases. It's too bad the reporting on the trial is so limited, local news being what it is these days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why is Mooney off the hook?

Because this is Mcps.

He’s screwed up so many time. BCC deserves better. It’s been declining sharply under Mooney.

BCC is a mess, from the top down. Useless. But then, so are many schools in MCPS whose principals are allowed to stay on the job year after year after year.

[Anonymous]

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.

Isn't that what the antiracism audit and action plan that MCPS spent millions of taxpayer dollars on in consulting fees and staffing supposed to be combatting?

It can only combat racism if there are consequences. This loss is going to scare MCPS off consequences for the people who need them.

It can only combat racism if it A knows what racism is and B knows how to combat it. They don't know either. They are literally failing at combating racism.