Taylor: “What’s the Worst That Could Happen? They Fire Me?”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He sounds like he had no idea exactly what a monster he was walking into by taking this job, with all the politics, nepotism, and hysterical loony parents. This isn't little Stafford County.

This is the first time I've felt a slight sense of empathy for him. No one sane would want this job. The systems are too big, the problematic admins and their minions have wormed their tentacles in for 30+ years and no one superintendent can tease it all out, and a significant minority of the parents in this county are utterly vile.

I don't like him, but the perfect candidate isn't out there. Because again, nobody decent wants this job.

Exactly. Firing him (or not renewing his contract) would be doing him a favor. He knows this.

[Anonymous]

I love the whole I can't be considered rich because I only have a 200k household income and my house is only worth 600k argument.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He sounds like he had no idea exactly what a monster he was walking into by taking this job, with all the politics, nepotism, and hysterical loony parents. This isn't little Stafford County.

This is the first time I've felt a slight sense of empathy for him. No one sane would want this job. The systems are too big, the problematic admins and their minions have wormed their tentacles in for 30+ years and no one superintendent can tease it all out, and a significant minority of the parents in this county are utterly vile.

I don't like him, but the perfect candidate isn't out there. Because again, nobody decent wants this job.

Exactly. Firing him (or not renewing his contract) would be doing him a favor. He knows this.

He could do himself a favor and do less. Stop trying to implement dozens of new programs in less than two years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People hate every superintendent here, so honestly, why should he care what anybody says? People hated Weast. They hated Starr. They hated Smith. They hated McKnight. Now they hate Taylor. The internet wasn't much of a thing yet under Paul Vance but I'm sure the ancestors of DCUM posters were mailing letters about how much they hated him.

At a certain point, if you are never happy with a single thing or a single person and scream about every decision made and are unable to engage with any issue in a way that shows you understand its complexity and aren't just navel-gazing, people in positions of power treat your feedback and behavior with the disdain it deserves. And they burn out. And the replacement candidates you want refuse to come here.

And don't point out that we should have gotten someone who ended up being successful elsewhere. Because if they'd come here, it wouldn't have happened that way.

The difference is under Weast we had a strong school system, and it's been downhill ever since. And yes, I am aware of the changing demographics of the county affecting this, but no one has been able to stop the downward slide of a once great school system. Taylor's grenade (the new program areas) is going to blow things up, but it won't fix the ailing school system and will make the already bad traffic much, much worse, and cost a whole h@ll of a lot more

Under Weast it was a strong school system for middle and upper class white students. Weast did not have to deal with the fallout from COVID, the exploding numbers of Hispanic immigrants due to our county being a sanctuary county, the exponential growth in special education students, the free fall of our county’s economy, loss of federal funding, smart phone addiction, etc. Everything has gone to hell in a hand basket and the school system reflects that. Not to excuse some of the terrible decisions made by MCPS in the last 10 years

+1. Weast left at the perfect time. He probably saw the writing on the wall with No Student Left Behind law. With the skyrocketing numbers of poor ESOL students and special needs students he knew MCPS was doomed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Adam Pagnucco posted an email that was forwarded to him from a community member who engaged with Taylor after Md. State Senator Cheryl Kagan criticized MCPS and Taylor for their decisions on Wootton. The response to the community member was quite revealing and Pagnucco reprinted it since he felt it revealed something about Taylor's character and/or his state of mind.

SOURCE: https://montgomeryperspective.com/2026/02/23/taylor-whats-the-worst-that-could-happen-they-fire-me/

Taylor’s email to the reader is printed below.

*****

This really means a lot. The data is what the data is – I can’t change it. Politicians who chest-thump is nothing new in Montgomery County. I work for politicians, but I am not one and I also don’t wobble when they fuss (this makes them uncomfortable). Been doing this a long time…what’s the worst that could happen? They fire me? …great! Maybe I’ll get a full night’s sleep for once. 🙂

In all seriousness, the state has no role in this, especially individual legislators. We’ll get through this. And yes – Magruder finally has a clear path! They will be in the next CIP…I just wish it didn’t take so dang long to get stuff done around here.

Again, thanks for reaching out. Onward…!

All my best,

Thomas

Oh, I like him now.
I didn’t really have an opinion of him before, but now...

[Anonymous]

He is not used to all of these looney, entitled and insane parents. You would think you guys lived in Beverly Hills, with your 1970’s, too small closet, outdated bathroom houses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Adam Pagnucco posted an email that was forwarded to him from a community member who engaged with Taylor after Md. State Senator Cheryl Kagan criticized MCPS and Taylor for their decisions on Wootton. The response to the community member was quite revealing and Pagnucco reprinted it since he felt it revealed something about Taylor's character and/or his state of mind.

SOURCE: https://montgomeryperspective.com/2026/02/23/taylor-whats-the-worst-that-could-happen-they-fire-me/

Taylor’s email to the reader is printed below.

*****

This really means a lot. The data is what the data is – I can’t change it. Politicians who chest-thump is nothing new in Montgomery County. I work for politicians, but I am not one and I also don’t wobble when they fuss (this makes them uncomfortable). Been doing this a long time…what’s the worst that could happen? They fire me? …great! Maybe I’ll get a full night’s sleep for once. 🙂

In all seriousness, the state has no role in this, especially individual legislators. We’ll get through this. And yes – Magruder finally has a clear path! They will be in the next CIP…I just wish it didn’t take so dang long to get stuff done around here.

Again, thanks for reaching out. Onward…!

All my best,

Thomas

Oh, I like him now.
I didn’t really have an opinion of him before, but now...

How is it that all the I love Taylor posts haven't been able to name one thing they like about him except this one email?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He is not used to all of these looney, entitled and insane parents. You would think you guys lived in Beverly Hills, with your 1970’s, too small closet, outdated bathroom houses.

A lot of these parents also look down on educators. It is a tough environment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Adam Pagnucco posted an email that was forwarded to him from a community member who engaged with Taylor after Md. State Senator Cheryl Kagan criticized MCPS and Taylor for their decisions on Wootton. The response to the community member was quite revealing and Pagnucco reprinted it since he felt it revealed something about Taylor's character and/or his state of mind.

SOURCE: https://montgomeryperspective.com/2026/02/23/taylor-whats-the-worst-that-could-happen-they-fire-me/

Taylor’s email to the reader is printed below.

*****

This really means a lot. The data is what the data is – I can’t change it. Politicians who chest-thump is nothing new in Montgomery County. I work for politicians, but I am not one and I also don’t wobble when they fuss (this makes them uncomfortable). Been doing this a long time…what’s the worst that could happen? They fire me? …great! Maybe I’ll get a full night’s sleep for once. 🙂

In all seriousness, the state has no role in this, especially individual legislators. We’ll get through this. And yes – Magruder finally has a clear path! They will be in the next CIP…I just wish it didn’t take so dang long to get stuff done around here.

Again, thanks for reaching out. Onward…!

All my best,

Thomas

Oh, I like him now.
I didn’t really have an opinion of him before, but now...

How is it that all the I love Taylor posts haven't been able to name one thing they like about him except this one email?

The thing they like about him is that he is anti-parent. The people who love Taylor hate the parents and students they're supposed to serve.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He is not used to all of these looney, entitled and insane parents. You would think you guys lived in Beverly Hills, with your 1970’s, too small closet, outdated bathroom houses.

A lot of these parents also look down on educators. It is a tough environment.

The reverse is true as well: Many MCPS educators look down on parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really dislike Taylor and disagree with most of the decisions he's been making and the way he's been approaching things.

But this email does not bother me.

The email itself doesn’t bother me. But it does hint to him being overwhelmed with the job and not giving two Fs anymore.

Nah, I think he's just being jokey. You gotta say something casual to lighten the mood after you say your "I'm gonna do what I think is right even if they fire me" thing.

My God. The Taylor apologists are capable of the most ridiculous mental gymnastics I've ever seen.

Dr. McKnight would have been nailed at the stake if she said this. But Taylor? Oh, he's just joking. Incredible.

You do understand that Communications Director Chris Cram is personally posting on this thread to make his boss look better.

You realize you have a mental health disorder

One that is fact based. MCPS admin have already been caught posting anonymously.
It is a well known tactic of MCPS and other school systems.

By whom? In your dreams?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Adam Pagnucco posted an email that was forwarded to him from a community member who engaged with Taylor after Md. State Senator Cheryl Kagan criticized MCPS and Taylor for their decisions on Wootton. The response to the community member was quite revealing and Pagnucco reprinted it since he felt it revealed something about Taylor's character and/or his state of mind.

SOURCE: https://montgomeryperspective.com/2026/02/23/taylor-whats-the-worst-that-could-happen-they-fire-me/

Taylor’s email to the reader is printed below.

*****

This really means a lot. The data is what the data is – I can’t change it. Politicians who chest-thump is nothing new in Montgomery County. I work for politicians, but I am not one and I also don’t wobble when they fuss (this makes them uncomfortable). Been doing this a long time…what’s the worst that could happen? They fire me? …great! Maybe I’ll get a full night’s sleep for once. 🙂

In all seriousness, the state has no role in this, especially individual legislators. We’ll get through this. And yes – Magruder finally has a clear path! They will be in the next CIP…I just wish it didn’t take so dang long to get stuff done around here.

Again, thanks for reaching out. Onward…!

All my best,

Thomas

Oh, I like him now.
I didn’t really have an opinion of him before, but now...

How is it that all the I love Taylor posts haven't been able to name one thing they like about him except this one email?

The thing they like about him is that he is anti-parent. The people who love Taylor hate the parents and students they're supposed to serve.

I like that he's making an honest effort to attempt to fix things that have been a problem. The new grading policy is an amazing start but there are some growing pains with it. Sure there are some swings and misses but I'd rather see him go down swinging than get called out of a 3rd strike looking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really dislike Taylor and disagree with most of the decisions he's been making and the way he's been approaching things.

But this email does not bother me.

The email itself doesn’t bother me. But it does hint to him being overwhelmed with the job and not giving two Fs anymore.

Nah, I think he's just being jokey. You gotta say something casual to lighten the mood after you say your "I'm gonna do what I think is right even if they fire me" thing.

My God. The Taylor apologists are capable of the most ridiculous mental gymnastics I've ever seen.

Dr. McKnight would have been nailed at the stake if she said this. But Taylor? Oh, he's just joking. Incredible.

You do understand that Communications Director Chris Cram is personally posting on this thread to make his boss look better.

You realize you have a mental health disorder

One that is fact based. MCPS admin have already been caught posting anonymously.
It is a well known tactic of MCPS and other school systems.

By whom? In your dreams?

In various court documents when MCPS has been sued.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Adam Pagnucco posted an email that was forwarded to him from a community member who engaged with Taylor after Md. State Senator Cheryl Kagan criticized MCPS and Taylor for their decisions on Wootton. The response to the community member was quite revealing and Pagnucco reprinted it since he felt it revealed something about Taylor's character and/or his state of mind.

SOURCE: https://montgomeryperspective.com/2026/02/23/taylor-whats-the-worst-that-could-happen-they-fire-me/

Taylor’s email to the reader is printed below.

*****

This really means a lot. The data is what the data is – I can’t change it. Politicians who chest-thump is nothing new in Montgomery County. I work for politicians, but I am not one and I also don’t wobble when they fuss (this makes them uncomfortable). Been doing this a long time…what’s the worst that could happen? They fire me? …great! Maybe I’ll get a full night’s sleep for once. 🙂

In all seriousness, the state has no role in this, especially individual legislators. We’ll get through this. And yes – Magruder finally has a clear path! They will be in the next CIP…I just wish it didn’t take so dang long to get stuff done around here.

Again, thanks for reaching out. Onward…!

All my best,

Thomas

Oh, I like him now.
I didn’t really have an opinion of him before, but now...

How is it that all the I love Taylor posts haven't been able to name one thing they like about him except this one email?

The thing they like about him is that he is anti-parent. The people who love Taylor hate the parents and students they're supposed to serve.

I like that he's making an honest effort to attempt to fix things that have been a problem. The new grading policy is an amazing start but there are some growing pains with it. Sure there are some swings and misses but I'd rather see him go down swinging than get called out of a 3rd strike looking.

What is honest about doing things behind closed doors? This is a public school system with an elected Board of Education. He isn’t the king, although he thinks he is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Adam Pagnucco posted an email that was forwarded to him from a community member who engaged with Taylor after Md. State Senator Cheryl Kagan criticized MCPS and Taylor for their decisions on Wootton. The response to the community member was quite revealing and Pagnucco reprinted it since he felt it revealed something about Taylor's character and/or his state of mind.

SOURCE: https://montgomeryperspective.com/2026/02/23/taylor-whats-the-worst-that-could-happen-they-fire-me/

Taylor’s email to the reader is printed below.

*****

This really means a lot. The data is what the data is – I can’t change it. Politicians who chest-thump is nothing new in Montgomery County. I work for politicians, but I am not one and I also don’t wobble when they fuss (this makes them uncomfortable). Been doing this a long time…what’s the worst that could happen? They fire me? …great! Maybe I’ll get a full night’s sleep for once. 🙂

In all seriousness, the state has no role in this, especially individual legislators. We’ll get through this. And yes – Magruder finally has a clear path! They will be in the next CIP…I just wish it didn’t take so dang long to get stuff done around here.

Again, thanks for reaching out. Onward…!

All my best,

Thomas

Oh, I like him now.
I didn’t really have an opinion of him before, but now...

How is it that all the I love Taylor posts haven't been able to name one thing they like about him except this one email?

The thing they like about him is that he is anti-parent. The people who love Taylor hate the parents and students they're supposed to serve.

I'd give Taylor a mixed review. He's made choices or proposals I support, choices I don't, and choices I have no feeling about because they don't concern me. I think you've nailed his supporters here, at least, with this comment. Look at the person posting in every thread with comments about "Mad Mommies," as if it's inherently insulting to be a parent who has opinions about the schools.

I'm not sold that Taylor himself has this attitude, but the email does give me pause. He talks about the opinions of politicians who "fuss," but the criticism of closing Wootton is coming from politicians because it's how their constituents feel. I don't care about Wootton in particular, but the Superintendent should be responsive to the concerns of parents when making a big change like that. It doesn't necessarily mean making a different choice, but I don't love how it seems like he's thinking about the response to the proposal.