This is an example of MCPS not doing a comprehensive background check: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/teacher-who-lost-license-in-fla-went-on-to-teach-in-two-md-districts/165408/%3famp |
This is another example: https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/schools/richard-montgomery-high-school-security-leader-wanted-for-violating-bond-in-sex-abuse-case/ |
I am not sure what you consider a background check. I was fingerprinted, had my previous employer called and they searched for a criminal record on me. If that is not a background check, I am not sure what you consider acceptable. |
| I forgot to add that I am an MCPS teacher. |
Read the links. MCPS doesn’t do the criminal record search - particularly if offenses were out of state. All you know is that they took your finger prints. |
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This is an example of the consequences when a person who is exhibiting grossly inappropriate behavior with students remains employed by MCPS after the behavior is repeatedly witnessed, reported, and documented. He sexually abused elementary students for 15 years till the police arrested him. This is why the Employee Code of Conduct needs to have teeth and staff should be terminated (not reprimanded) for offenses:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/he-was-warned-about-getting-too-close-to-students-but-this-maryland-teacher-was-allowed-to-stay-in-the-classroom/2017/08/25/5ac2ad76-7bbe-11e7-a669-b400c5c7e1cc_story.html Child predators would be weeded out of the school system with enforcement of the Code of Conduct. Judge staff by their actions and clearly if it’s known that you do XYZ you will be fired and you do XYZ, you identified an employee whose a liability for child safety. |
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Going back to PPs previous point of some type external investigator -
When MCPS does an internal investigation, data is selectively reviewed. It’s often a situation of a student vs. an employee. MCPS is not transparent with the evidence it gathers because of “employee privacy”. Principals and Athletic Directors can have implicit biases to protect the employees that they hired. Often, there are personal relationships of working with an employee for years that can cloud their objectivity regarding an allegation. Finally, there’s a corporate culture in MCPS to protect the institution at all cost by denying that a serious problem exists. Social media of students in 2020 highlighted how schools dismiss students who come forward to report. The magnet program at Blair had a teacher that was reported for years but the complaints were ignored. |
It was a joke |
Well there was a huge drop in allegations against MCPS employees during online learning. https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/schools/40-allegations-of-abuse-by-mcps-staff-reported-in-2021/ |
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A positive note due to COVID - all MCPS athletics over night travel has been suspended till January 16th. Does not address the long term dangers to child safety and lack of administrative supervision these trips have.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/14cRk4wgXVbmcjhIzNO3uIq4nNA5MdHsH/view |
Reumante was a Cross Country and Track coach who traveled out of state for overnight trips with Northwood High School students. MCPS should be concerned with that fact and re-examine the protocols for when teams travel or even if teams should be allowed to travel overnight. The timing of the COVID travel ban happens to align with a major track meet in Virginia Beach that several MCPS track teams were already registered to compete. Extending the travel ban date to January 16th prohibits MCPS track teams from participating in this meet. https://va.milesplit.com/meets/426603-the-va-showcase-2022/teams#.YdL8iyU8LYU |
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Search Reumante and you can see the charges and that he is out on bond. Offenses were 1/1/2015 to 12/31/2017:
https://casesearch.courts.state.md.us/casesearch/ |
But he was sexually abusing a student inside of a school building. No travel needed. |
You don’t think there’s a higher danger for a trip involving hotel rooms and basically no supervision? Also, not all the abuse occurred on school premises. |
Reumante was sentenced recently: https://moco360.media/2024/02/14/former-northwood-high-coach-sentenced-for-sexual-abuse-of-student/
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