BOE - who are people voting for?

[Anonymous]

The Evans misinformation team has been hard at work this weekend with their half-truth (more like eighth-truth) comments about Stewart, even "agreeing" with the happy-with-Stewart posts as an in to derailing them with that slant. It's Political Propaganda 101 -- they're still scared stiff that Evans can't beat win Stewart in the general election.

They'd not only lose their most pro-MCPS Super+cronies agenda vote on the board, but they'd then have to deal with a person who regularly showed up with testimony that encouraged more piercing questions, so they're hoping against hope to whittle away enough primary support for Stewart to allow Mandel the second place spot, knowing Evams could win the November general against her.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:What's the latest MoCo? Decided on your votes?

Yes except for district 4. I don’t love Shebra but her challengers are really extreme and inexperienced.

I don't think that's fair or remotely accurate. Stewart seems great and isn't an incumbent. Also,, it's not just me. She';s endorsed by the Apple ballot.

Yes - if you want another stay at home mom social justice warrior who is going to say nice things but then be a yes-man to MCPS, the union, etc. then you should indeed vote for status quo Stewart. The Apple Ballot has always picked the best BOE members. Just look at all the trail blazing work that their last picks in 2022 have done.

I think Julie Yang and Grace Rivera-Oven have both been doing a good job as members.

+1 I love the way they handled the Biedelman situation and negotiating for McKnight’s exit. We need more of that which is why I’m voting straight apple ballot

You like the $1mln+ payout that McKnight received? That money could have been spent on students instead. If they had the guts to fire her for cause instead of negotiating a golden parachute deal.

No it could not have been spent on students. It was paid out from insurance. It could have been spent on nothing else except legal payouts - which I agree MCPS has way too many of, but it did not take away money from students or buildings.

Insurance - really? For a voluntary act on the part of the BOE in firing the superintendent. Could you share the type of insurance this is?

Montgomery County self insurance fund which MCPS pays into and is part of.

The premiums for which now go up due to the increased experience rate, taking money from general funds that otherwise could be used for students/buildings.

How much do you think the rates would have gone up if instead double that amount of money was spent on legal litigation fees?

It shouldn't have costed $1million+. McKnight messed up and she could have been fired for cause. The independent auditor report on the Beidelman fiasco confirmed her mismanagement.

MCPS BOE just didn't have the backbone to fire for cause, even though it was justified and would have saved money. They took the easy way out. That's not leadership.

Laura Stewart has the backbone to fight these types of fights. Just like the BOE members who the apple ballot endorsed in 2022, she would have gone public with her reasons for not settling and seeking real accountability. Just like them, she would have voted no on the settlement package and stood up for what’s right.

I voted for Stewart in 4 as well. I've watched Ms Evans during Board meetings over the years, and want someone who questions MCPS staff more vigorously.

+1 I saw Laura Stewart at work advocating the county council on behalf of real estate developers to push the burden of impact fees and taxes away from the developers themselves and onto ordinary moco residents. Very fierce advocate and very effective in getting the tax increase through.

You missed the big picture. The Planning Board already got the Council to eliminate impact taxes for developers. Planning Board proposed to make up for the loss of funding by progressively increasing Recordation Taxes instead, presumably (according to Planning Board) because overcrowding in schools came from turnover in neighborhoods, not from new developments built by developers.

So, since developer taxes were already eliminated by Planning Board and Council, the only choice was to encourage Council to implement Planning Board's strategy of progressively increasing Recordation Tax.

Do try to keep up

Thanks for the real estate developer talking points.

“The only choice was…” The words of a candidate who will stand up to bureaucracy and champion the values she holds dear. A true champion of action.

Not developer talking points, what actually happened.
You clearly don't get how things work in Montgomery County.

The Real Estate people got the Recordation Tax increase put off for a few years after the impact taxes were haulted and there was no money for schools during that time. Many pushed for the recordation tax at that point because it was the only way to get money for the schools - the developers had already done their damage at the Planning Board and Council.

So sure you could argue to get the impact taxes on developers back, but that ship had sailed, and recordation taxes, which was at least progressive, was the only way to get the needed funds for schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Evans misinformation team has been hard at work this weekend with their half-truth (more like eighth-truth) comments about Stewart, even "agreeing" with the happy-with-Stewart posts as an in to derailing them with that slant. It's Political Propaganda 101 -- they're still scared stiff that Evans can't beat win Stewart in the general election.

They'd not only lose their most pro-MCPS Super+cronies agenda vote on the board, but they'd then have to deal with a person who regularly showed up with testimony that encouraged more piercing questions, so they're hoping against hope to whittle away enough primary support for Stewart to allow Mandel the second place spot, knowing Evams could win the November general against her.

You Laura Stewart boosters are kidding yourselves.

What transformative results did Laura achieve during her time with the MCCPTA?

Also, Stewart literally said, "I have friends on the board."

She's cozy with them. She goes along to get along. There's no way I'm going to buy that she's suddenly going to take a grenade to a system that she has largely cheer leaded and praised for the last decade. This image that Stewart, who has rubbed shoulders and elbows with many of the people she now claims she will hold accountable, is not a genuine one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Evans misinformation team has been hard at work this weekend with their half-truth (more like eighth-truth) comments about Stewart, even "agreeing" with the happy-with-Stewart posts as an in to derailing them with that slant. It's Political Propaganda 101 -- they're still scared stiff that Evans can't beat win Stewart in the general election.

They'd not only lose their most pro-MCPS Super+cronies agenda vote on the board, but they'd then have to deal with a person who regularly showed up with testimony that encouraged more piercing questions, so they're hoping against hope to whittle away enough primary support for Stewart to allow Mandel the second place spot, knowing Evams could win the November general against her.

You Laura Stewart boosters are kidding yourselves.

What transformative results did Laura achieve during her time with the MCCPTA?

Also, Stewart literally said, "I have friends on the board."

She's cozy with them. She goes along to get along. There's no way I'm going to buy that she's suddenly going to take a grenade to a system that she has largely cheer leaded and praised for the last decade. This image that Stewart, who has rubbed shoulders and elbows with many of the people she now claims she will hold accountable, is not a genuine one.

Why on earth would anyone feeling this way vote for Evans over Stewart? Literally any of this can be said moreso for Evans than for Stewart (where, again, they are, at best, half-truths presented with slant):

"goes along to get along"

"friends on the board"

"a system she has largely cheer leaded and praised for the last decade"

"what transformative results [did she] achieve?"

...and Evans had 8 years on the board, where she was supposed to perform oversight, not limited to a couple of minutes of public testimony as an MCCPTA advocate for capital improvements.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Evans misinformation team has been hard at work this weekend with their half-truth (more like eighth-truth) comments about Stewart, even "agreeing" with the happy-with-Stewart posts as an in to derailing them with that slant. It's Political Propaganda 101 -- they're still scared stiff that Evans can't beat win Stewart in the general election.

They'd not only lose their most pro-MCPS Super+cronies agenda vote on the board, but they'd then have to deal with a person who regularly showed up with testimony that encouraged more piercing questions, so they're hoping against hope to whittle away enough primary support for Stewart to allow Mandel the second place spot, knowing Evams could win the November general against her.

You Laura Stewart boosters are kidding yourselves.

What transformative results did Laura achieve during her time with the MCCPTA?

Also, Stewart literally said, "I have friends on the board."

She's cozy with them. She goes along to get along. There's no way I'm going to buy that she's suddenly going to take a grenade to a system that she has largely cheer leaded and praised for the last decade. This image that Stewart, who has rubbed shoulders and elbows with many of the people she now claims she will hold accountable, is not a genuine one.

Why on earth would anyone feeling this way vote for Evans over Stewart? Literally any of this can be said moreso for Evans than for Stewart (where, again, they are, at best, half-truths presented with slant):

"goes along to get along"

"friends on the board"

"a system she has largely cheer leaded and praised for the last decade"

"what transformative results [did she] achieve?"

...and Evans had 8 years on the board, where she was supposed to perform oversight, not limited to a couple of minutes of public testimony as an MCCPTA advocate for capital improvements.

So if I'm voting for someone who's not a change agent, which I don't believe Stewart is, I might as well stick with the original (Evans), rather than diet Lynne Harris, which is what Laura Stewart is.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Evans misinformation team has been hard at work this weekend with their half-truth (more like eighth-truth) comments about Stewart, even "agreeing" with the happy-with-Stewart posts as an in to derailing them with that slant. It's Political Propaganda 101 -- they're still scared stiff that Evans can't beat win Stewart in the general election.

They'd not only lose their most pro-MCPS Super+cronies agenda vote on the board, but they'd then have to deal with a person who regularly showed up with testimony that encouraged more piercing questions, so they're hoping against hope to whittle away enough primary support for Stewart to allow Mandel the second place spot, knowing Evams could win the November general against her.

You Laura Stewart boosters are kidding yourselves.

What transformative results did Laura achieve during her time with the MCCPTA?

Also, Stewart literally said, "I have friends on the board."

She's cozy with them. She goes along to get along. There's no way I'm going to buy that she's suddenly going to take a grenade to a system that she has largely cheer leaded and praised for the last decade. This image that Stewart, who has rubbed shoulders and elbows with many of the people she now claims she will hold accountable, is not a genuine one.

Why on earth would anyone feeling this way vote for Evans over Stewart? Literally any of this can be said moreso for Evans than for Stewart (where, again, they are, at best, half-truths presented with slant):

"goes along to get along"

"friends on the board"

"a system she has largely cheer leaded and praised for the last decade"

"what transformative results [did she] achieve?"

...and Evans had 8 years on the board, where she was supposed to perform oversight, not limited to a couple of minutes of public testimony as an MCCPTA advocate for capital improvements.

So if I'm voting for someone who's not a change agent, which I don't believe Stewart is, I might as well stick with the original (Evans), rather than diet Lynne Harris, which is what Laura Stewart is.

This illogic has to be the work of a Mandel campaigner.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:^^ agree. Evan's backs the MCPS Central Office staff no matter what BS they feed her. Doesn't question a thing. She needs to go

I don't love Evans but I wish she had better challengers in this race. I don't think the two running against her are the right pick for what we need right now.

Mandel is way too far right for me. She has an extreme view of the world of education that is out of step with most of the county. It will be good if she loses the primary so she no longer has a platform to spew some of the stuff that she believes in.

Laura Stewart seems to be a nice person but I don't think she has the experience or chops to do much of anything other than to say nice things and be yet another middle aged white empty nest social justice warrior. Some of the stuff she's said in the past is also pretty extreme, just on the other end of the spectrum as Mandel.

I think it's telling that Stewart is afraid of her prior statements that she turned her twitter page to private the day she declared as a candidate. She used that for years to publicly advocate for change in the county but I think it says a lot that she now wants to hide from it. No backbone there to stand up for what she believes, which is too extreme for my taste anyway, but I'd at least like to give her credit for standing up for her ideals rather than running from them when it's politically expedient.

This seems a bit misinformed. There's so much partisan drivel here. People should do their own research and failing that just use the Apple ballot.

+1 for the apple ballot. I remember when they endorsed Shebra Evans and that was a great pick!

I can’t tell if you are being sarcastic.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:^^ agree. Evan's backs the MCPS Central Office staff no matter what BS they feed her. Doesn't question a thing. She needs to go

I don't love Evans but I wish she had better challengers in this race. I don't think the two running against her are the right pick for what we need right now.

Mandel is way too far right for me. She has an extreme view of the world of education that is out of step with most of the county. It will be good if she loses the primary so she no longer has a platform to spew some of the stuff that she believes in.

Laura Stewart seems to be a nice person but I don't think she has the experience or chops to do much of anything other than to say nice things and be yet another middle aged white empty nest social justice warrior. Some of the stuff she's said in the past is also pretty extreme, just on the other end of the spectrum as Mandel.

I think it's telling that Stewart is afraid of her prior statements that she turned her twitter page to private the day she declared as a candidate. She used that for years to publicly advocate for change in the county but I think it says a lot that she now wants to hide from it. No backbone there to stand up for what she believes, which is too extreme for my taste anyway, but I'd at least like to give her credit for standing up for her ideals rather than running from them when it's politically expedient.

This seems a bit misinformed. There's so much partisan drivel here. People should do their own research and failing that just use the Apple ballot.

+1 for the apple ballot. I remember when they endorsed Shebra Evans and that was a great pick!

I can’t tell if you are being sarcastic.

Just trolling.

[Anonymous]

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Nope just very annoyed anyone would consider Mandel fit as a human much less a BOE member of any school board in the US.

She's insane and a horrible human.

There's a lot of candidates I don't like, but I'd never call any of them not fit to be a human.

Mandel’s treatment of other humans posted online by her own hand proves my point.

Her UTUBE and Instagram treatment of others then laughing about her horrible behavior towards others is factual by her .

[Anonymous]

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Nope just very annoyed anyone would consider Mandel fit as a human much less a BOE member of any school board in the US.

She's insane and a horrible human.

There's a lot of candidates I don't like, but I'd never call any of them not fit to be a human.

Mandel’s treatment of other humans posted online by her own hand proves my point.

Her UTUBE and Instagram treatment of others then laughing about her horrible behavior towards others is factual by her .

It’s a shame Laura Stewart was so nervous about the electoral impact of the views she espoused on her twitter page that she blocked the public from viewing all of her prior posts the day she decided to run in the BOE election. It would have been a great example to people like Mandel of how to treat others online when you engage in public discourse about issues, even when you’re advocating for positions that most others would view as well outside of the mainstream.

[Anonymous]

^^^Mandel campaign trolling

[Anonymous]

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Nope just very annoyed anyone would consider Mandel fit as a human much less a BOE member of any school board in the US.

She's insane and a horrible human.

There's a lot of candidates I don't like, but I'd never call any of them not fit to be a human.

Mandel’s treatment of other humans posted online by her own hand proves my point.

Her UTUBE and Instagram treatment of others then laughing about her horrible behavior towards others is factual by her .

Does she post on Truth Social? I mean that alone would be telling.

[Anonymous]

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Nope just very annoyed anyone would consider Mandel fit as a human much less a BOE member of any school board in the US.

She's insane and a horrible human.

There's a lot of candidates I don't like, but I'd never call any of them not fit to be a human.

Mandel’s treatment of other humans posted online by her own hand proves my point.

Her UTUBE and Instagram treatment of others then laughing about her horrible behavior towards others is factual by her .

It’s a shame Laura Stewart was so nervous about the electoral impact of the views she espoused on her twitter page that she blocked the public from viewing all of her prior posts the day she decided to run in the BOE election. It would have been a great example to people like Mandel of how to treat others online when you engage in public discourse about issues, even when you’re advocating for positions that most others would view as well outside of the mainstream.

I don't think that's accurate. I'm personally fine with it and feel what she had posted seemed perfectly reasonable, but also understand why she wants to separate her personal life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Diaz got fired from MCPS, or was about to when she quit instead of getting terminated. I worked at GHS when she was there and she was not well liked by staff or students. Plus she's a Moms for Liberty Trump supporter.

Why was she getting fired?

Asking again because I believe my question was lost in the shuffle.

[Anonymous]

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Nope just very annoyed anyone would consider Mandel fit as a human much less a BOE member of any school board in the US.

She's insane and a horrible human.

There's a lot of candidates I don't like, but I'd never call any of them not fit to be a human.

Mandel’s treatment of other humans posted online by her own hand proves my point.

Her UTUBE and Instagram treatment of others then laughing about her horrible behavior towards others is factual by her .

It’s a shame Laura Stewart was so nervous about the electoral impact of the views she espoused on her twitter page that she blocked the public from viewing all of her prior posts the day she decided to run in the BOE election. It would have been a great example to people like Mandel of how to treat others online when you engage in public discourse about issues, even when you’re advocating for positions that most others would view as well outside of the mainstream.

Here's your hourly post from our friends at the "Vote Evans Because...Hey, Look! We're Painting Stewart as Extreme! (Now Ignore Evans' Being More So and More Directly Complicit with MCPS Leadership, but through Reticence and Acquiescence to Keep it off the Radar...)" Campaign Committee.