MOCO BOE update: Beidleman Report summary

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/10/07/khalid-walker-beidleman-mcps-job/

“Still, four former central office employees told The Post that McKnight would have been aware of — and would have had to approve — her district’s recent move of Walker to an O level position with a raise. “There’s no way that McKnight wouldn’t have known, procedurally and especially given what a key figure he is in all this, in the middle of a storm. It couldn’t have slipped through,” the former central office employee said“

The level of stupid and incompetent within MCPS administration and leadership is baffling.

After getting their a**es handed to them by WaPo, the county council and the county exec, you’d think they would start to be a bit more calculating and careful with their moves.

No one in leadership thought or could foresee how promoting Khalid Walker at this moment could present a PR and perception problem as he is a central figure of a serious personnel and HR scandal?

Truly moronic and makes me question McKnight's capabilities even more. I mean, the General Counsel is literally directly under her and I'm baffled that she thought it would look okay to give this guy a promotion and movement into the General Counsel! And why the heck did the actual General Counsel think it was okay too? Are they that clueless?? Of all departments, they should have a huge awareness on how this would look to the public. OMG.

Clearly the general counsel should be relieved of her duties because she promoted someone under investigation. That’s if the superintendent didn’t know. And if she didn’t know, why is she always out of loop on promotions of people under investigation.

This. Who is in charge of approving promotions and salary increases at the General Counsel office then? Does it really stop with the General Counsel, who reports directly to McKnight?? Are people in charge of departments allowed to just give raises without approval from someone above them? Yikes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am enraged and disgusted with MCPS and all our elected officials that are more concerned with limiting liability than they are with keeping students and teachers safe.

I don't get that impression at all. All the evidence indicates they're trying to do a thoryough and fair investigation. Not sure where you are getting these ideas from.

They could have directly asked what McKnight knew about complaints against Biedleman when she promoted him. She would have said she couldn't answer and it would be clear she knew and is complicit in protecting him.

Really? I think if they had asked her that it would be clear she wasn't involved so please stop with the wild speculation and try to focus on the actual facts. Sure, I get your rabid about finding fault with MCPS but this is getting a bit crazy.

I love how the rabid pro mcps poster is keeping this thread alive...lol

I hope the rapid pro-MCPS poster is getting paid over time for this PR work on an anonymous message board. Although the posts are doing more harm than good, since seeing sycophants feel compelled to toe the party line like this and deliberately and repeatedly deny facts and evidence, tells you a whole lot about the kind organizational culture that’s festering within MCPS…

You mean like McKnight exhorting all admins at a district meeting to stand and chant “MCPS Proud” whether they wanted to or not? 😵‍💫

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am enraged and disgusted with MCPS and all our elected officials that are more concerned with limiting liability than they are with keeping students and teachers safe.

I don't get that impression at all. All the evidence indicates they're trying to do a thoryough and fair investigation. Not sure where you are getting these ideas from.

They could have directly asked what McKnight knew about complaints against Biedleman when she promoted him. She would have said she couldn't answer and it would be clear she knew and is complicit in protecting him.

Really? I think if they had asked her that it would be clear she wasn't involved so please stop with the wild speculation and try to focus on the actual facts. Sure, I get your rabid about finding fault with MCPS but this is getting a bit crazy.

I love how the rabid pro mcps poster is keeping this thread alive...lol

I hope the rapid pro-MCPS poster is getting paid over time for this PR work on an anonymous message board. Although the posts are doing more harm than good, since seeing sycophants feel compelled to toe the party line like this and deliberately and repeatedly deny facts and evidence, tells you a whole lot about the kind organizational culture that’s festering within MCPS…

I find their request to stick to known facts pretty reasonable. It's all this hearsay, gossip and speculation by a few posters who seem to have an axe to grind that's more distressing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am enraged and disgusted with MCPS and all our elected officials that are more concerned with limiting liability than they are with keeping students and teachers safe.

I don't get that impression at all. All the evidence indicates they're trying to do a thoryough and fair investigation. Not sure where you are getting these ideas from.

They could have directly asked what McKnight knew about complaints against Biedleman when she promoted him. She would have said she couldn't answer and it would be clear she knew and is complicit in protecting him.

Really? I think if they had asked her that it would be clear she wasn't involved so please stop with the wild speculation and try to focus on the actual facts. Sure, I get your rabid about finding fault with MCPS but this is getting a bit crazy.

I love how the rabid pro mcps poster is keeping this thread alive...lol

I hope the rapid pro-MCPS poster is getting paid over time for this PR work on an anonymous message board. Although the posts are doing more harm than good, since seeing sycophants feel compelled to toe the party line like this and deliberately and repeatedly deny facts and evidence, tells you a whole lot about the kind organizational culture that’s festering within MCPS…

I find their request to stick to known facts pretty reasonable. It's all this hearsay, gossip and speculation by a few posters who seem to have an axe to grind that's more distressing.

They don’t stick to the known facts. They insist Beidleman’s bad behavior happened before McKnight’s stint as superintendent, which is not a fact.

Complaints about him happened and were ongoing when she was deputy superintendent, acting superintendent and the confirmed superintendent.

The rabidly pro-MCPS poster thinks that if they tell a lie long enough and repeatedly enough that it will become what people believe to be true.

[Anonymous]

I mean, MCPS’s spokesperson confirmed that Walker was moved into a role with a higher salary. Then he was moved into another role and back to his original salary. Also confirmed.

Perhaps there is a completely logical and legitimate reason to do so that is so unfortunately unable to be shared due to personnel policies….but I’ve honestly been trying to come up with one that makes any sense.

[Anonymous]

Really really great continued reporting by Nicole and Alexandra.

Andrew Friedson was spot on with his statement recently about a culture problem with how MCPS operates. I think Central Office folks seem to have this Cuomo-like mentality where they are in their own echo chamber protecting their crew even as the ethics and moral integrity of their actions is rightfully called into question.

The real truth is too many people knew, and condoned. And if they fired all of these folks (Beidelman, Michaele, Morris, Walker, probably numerous others, essentially all the folks who “shall not be named”), they’d have huge operational gaps and potential lawsuits. They are out of their depth because there are just clearly so many of their org chart who did know, and it’s like a house of cards at this point. McKnight knew more than she is admitting to. It’s like Harvey Weinstein. Everyone knew. Except the younger, directly vulnerable victims.

I am so disgusted that at every step along the way, they loudly announce how transparent they will be, while being about as opaque as I can imagine. They announce that safety is their goal and they make choices that stand in direct opposition to that. They protect people who have done harmful things and don’t help victims. It doesn’t have to be this way, and it isn’t in other organizations. This one is toxic and the only people working to fix it are Alexandra and Nicole. Shame on McKnight and her staff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mean, MCPS’s spokesperson confirmed that Walker was moved into a role with a higher salary. Then he was moved into another role and back to his original salary. Also confirmed.

Perhaps there is a completely logical and legitimate reason to do so that is so unfortunately unable to be shared due to personnel policies….but I’ve honestly been trying to come up with one that makes any sense.

I thought this was explained in the Post article. They moved both Simmons and Walker out of Compliance and Investigations while the IG investigation is hapoening. A former assistant general counsel was tapped to oversee Compliance and Investigations in the interim. This left a vacancy in the general counsel office. Walker has a law degree so they moved him to the general counsel office to fill that vacancy, temporarily.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean, MCPS’s spokesperson confirmed that Walker was moved into a role with a higher salary. Then he was moved into another role and back to his original salary. Also confirmed.

Perhaps there is a completely logical and legitimate reason to do so that is so unfortunately unable to be shared due to personnel policies….but I’ve honestly been trying to come up with one that makes any sense.

I thought this was explained in the Post article. They moved both Simmons and Walker out of Compliance and Investigations while the IG investigation is hapoening. A former assistant general counsel was tapped to oversee Compliance and Investigations in the interim. This left a vacancy in the general counsel office. Walker has a law degree so they moved him to the general counsel office to fill that vacancy, temporarily.

Yeah, not a logical explanation really, just poor judgment on a personnel matter yet again.

[Anonymous]

Where are all the ethical principals who voted "no confidence?" Will none of them speak on the record about their concerns? That would at least be validating for teachers who were victimized. The culture of fear is astounding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean, MCPS’s spokesperson confirmed that Walker was moved into a role with a higher salary. Then he was moved into another role and back to his original salary. Also confirmed.

Perhaps there is a completely logical and legitimate reason to do so that is so unfortunately unable to be shared due to personnel policies….but I’ve honestly been trying to come up with one that makes any sense.

I thought this was explained in the Post article. They moved both Simmons and Walker out of Compliance and Investigations while the IG investigation is hapoening. A former assistant general counsel was tapped to oversee Compliance and Investigations in the interim. This left a vacancy in the general counsel office. Walker has a law degree so they moved him to the general counsel office to fill that vacancy, temporarily.

The law degree isn’t new. Why wasn’t he in a legal position years ago instead of an investgator?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean, MCPS’s spokesperson confirmed that Walker was moved into a role with a higher salary. Then he was moved into another role and back to his original salary. Also confirmed.

Perhaps there is a completely logical and legitimate reason to do so that is so unfortunately unable to be shared due to personnel policies….but I’ve honestly been trying to come up with one that makes any sense.

I thought this was explained in the Post article. They moved both Simmons and Walker out of Compliance and Investigations while the IG investigation is hapoening. A former assistant general counsel was tapped to oversee Compliance and Investigations in the interim. This left a vacancy in the general counsel office. Walker has a law degree so they moved him to the general counsel office to fill that vacancy, temporarily.

Yeah, not a logical explanation really, just poor judgment on a personnel matter yet again.

Doesn’t explain why Simmons is on leave but not Walker

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean, MCPS’s spokesperson confirmed that Walker was moved into a role with a higher salary. Then he was moved into another role and back to his original salary. Also confirmed.

Perhaps there is a completely logical and legitimate reason to do so that is so unfortunately unable to be shared due to personnel policies….but I’ve honestly been trying to come up with one that makes any sense.

I thought this was explained in the Post article. They moved both Simmons and Walker out of Compliance and Investigations while the IG investigation is hapoening. A former assistant general counsel was tapped to oversee Compliance and Investigations in the interim. This left a vacancy in the general counsel office. Walker has a law degree so they moved him to the general counsel office to fill that vacancy, temporarily.

The law degree isn’t new. Why wasn’t he in a legal position years ago instead of an investgator?

Lots of people have law degrees but work in other capacities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean, MCPS’s spokesperson confirmed that Walker was moved into a role with a higher salary. Then he was moved into another role and back to his original salary. Also confirmed.

Perhaps there is a completely logical and legitimate reason to do so that is so unfortunately unable to be shared due to personnel policies….but I’ve honestly been trying to come up with one that makes any sense.

I thought this was explained in the Post article. They moved both Simmons and Walker out of Compliance and Investigations while the IG investigation is hapoening. A former assistant general counsel was tapped to oversee Compliance and Investigations in the interim. This left a vacancy in the general counsel office. Walker has a law degree so they moved him to the general counsel office to fill that vacancy, temporarily.

Yeah, not a logical explanation really, just poor judgment on a personnel matter yet again.

Doesn’t explain why Simmons is on leave but not Walker

As the director of the unit, she bears more responsibility for the failures.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean, MCPS’s spokesperson confirmed that Walker was moved into a role with a higher salary. Then he was moved into another role and back to his original salary. Also confirmed.

Perhaps there is a completely logical and legitimate reason to do so that is so unfortunately unable to be shared due to personnel policies….but I’ve honestly been trying to come up with one that makes any sense.

I thought this was explained in the Post article. They moved both Simmons and Walker out of Compliance and Investigations while the IG investigation is hapoening. A former assistant general counsel was tapped to oversee Compliance and Investigations in the interim. This left a vacancy in the general counsel office. Walker has a law degree so they moved him to the general counsel office to fill that vacancy, temporarily.

The law degree isn’t new. Why wasn’t he in a legal position years ago instead of an investgator?

Lots of people have law degrees but work in other capacities.

DUH! Then don’t put him in one now when he is under investigation!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am enraged and disgusted with MCPS and all our elected officials that are more concerned with limiting liability than they are with keeping students and teachers safe.

I don't get that impression at all. All the evidence indicates they're trying to do a thoryough and fair investigation. Not sure where you are getting these ideas from.

They could have directly asked what McKnight knew about complaints against Biedleman when she promoted him. She would have said she couldn't answer and it would be clear she knew and is complicit in protecting him.

Really? I think if they had asked her that it would be clear she wasn't involved so please stop with the wild speculation and try to focus on the actual facts. Sure, I get your rabid about finding fault with MCPS but this is getting a bit crazy.

I love how the rabid pro mcps poster is keeping this thread alive...lol

I hope the rapid pro-MCPS poster is getting paid over time for this PR work on an anonymous message board. Although the posts are doing more harm than good, since seeing sycophants feel compelled to toe the party line like this and deliberately and repeatedly deny facts and evidence, tells you a whole lot about the kind organizational culture that’s festering within MCPS…

You mean like McKnight exhorting all admins at a district meeting to stand and chant “MCPS Proud” whether they wanted to or not? 😵‍💫

How do you know they didn't want it?