Scott Joftus appointed to District 3 seat

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP: I also supported Scott Joftus wholeheartedly, bz I know him personally (he coached one of my kids' sports teams for a couple of years). He is a selfless guy who gives back to his community. I also work in the education field & have chatted with him about his ed consulting work. He's smart & we are fortunate that he threw his hat in the ring. I could not name all the other candidates bz I didn't know them personally, 19:06, but I assure you that there are plenty of parents in the Whitman & outside communities (I'm BCC) who know Joftus personally & are delighted that he was appointed. I don't think his wife's role is a conflict of interest, personally. She runs a nonprofit museum, also kid focused. I think the PP with an axe to grind is just searching for some dirt to throw.

Then you know nothing about ethics or conflicts of interest. His wife just got $1.4M of MCPS Operating Budget funds in September.
Nothing to think about. That is a conflict of interest for her husband. He didn’t disclose it. That was unethical.

What is his wife’s salary? Does she get a raise bc of the extra funding? Kid museum clains it helps county students but it sits in one of the riichest neighborhood where most of parents are are highly educated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP: I also supported Scott Joftus wholeheartedly, bz I know him personally (he coached one of my kids' sports teams for a couple of years). He is a selfless guy who gives back to his community. I also work in the education field & have chatted with him about his ed consulting work. He's smart & we are fortunate that he threw his hat in the ring. I could not name all the other candidates bz I didn't know them personally, 19:06, but I assure you that there are plenty of parents in the Whitman & outside communities (I'm BCC) who know Joftus personally & are delighted that he was appointed. I don't think his wife's role is a conflict of interest, personally. She runs a nonprofit museum, also kid focused. I think the PP with an axe to grind is just searching for some dirt to throw.

Then you know nothing about ethics or conflicts of interest. His wife just got $1.4M of MCPS Operating Budget funds in September.
Nothing to think about. That is a conflict of interest for her husband. He didn’t disclose it. That was unethical.

What is his wife’s salary? Does she get a raise bc of the extra funding? Kid museum clains it helps county students but it sits in one of the riichest neighborhood where most of parents are are highly educated.

The program is focused on schools with higher numbers of students in poverty.

https://news.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/staff-bulletin/all-in-kid-museum-partnership-help-prepare-our-students-for-their-futures/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP: I also supported Scott Joftus wholeheartedly, bz I know him personally (he coached one of my kids' sports teams for a couple of years). He is a selfless guy who gives back to his community. I also work in the education field & have chatted with him about his ed consulting work. He's smart & we are fortunate that he threw his hat in the ring. I could not name all the other candidates bz I didn't know them personally, 19:06, but I assure you that there are plenty of parents in the Whitman & outside communities (I'm BCC) who know Joftus personally & are delighted that he was appointed. I don't think his wife's role is a conflict of interest, personally. She runs a nonprofit museum, also kid focused. I think the PP with an axe to grind is just searching for some dirt to throw.

Then you know nothing about ethics or conflicts of interest. His wife just got $1.4M of MCPS Operating Budget funds in September.
Nothing to think about. That is a conflict of interest for her husband. He didn’t disclose it. That was unethical.

What is his wife’s salary? Does she get a raise bc of the extra funding? Kid museum clains it helps county students but it sits in one of the riichest neighborhood where most of parents are are highly educated.

The program is focused on schools with higher numbers of students in poverty.

https://news.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/staff-bulletin/all-in-kid-museum-partnership-help-prepare-our-students-for-their-futures/

Does MCPS provide bus service to Davis Library?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP: I also supported Scott Joftus wholeheartedly, bz I know him personally (he coached one of my kids' sports teams for a couple of years). He is a selfless guy who gives back to his community. I also work in the education field & have chatted with him about his ed consulting work. He's smart & we are fortunate that he threw his hat in the ring. I could not name all the other candidates bz I didn't know them personally, 19:06, but I assure you that there are plenty of parents in the Whitman & outside communities (I'm BCC) who know Joftus personally & are delighted that he was appointed. I don't think his wife's role is a conflict of interest, personally. She runs a nonprofit museum, also kid focused. I think the PP with an axe to grind is just searching for some dirt to throw.

Then you know nothing about ethics or conflicts of interest. His wife just got $1.4M of MCPS Operating Budget funds in September.
Nothing to think about. That is a conflict of interest for her husband. He didn’t disclose it. That was unethical.

What is his wife’s salary? Does she get a raise bc of the extra funding? Kid museum clains it helps county students but it sits in one of the riichest neighborhood where most of parents are are highly educated.

The program is focused on schools with higher numbers of students in poverty.

https://news.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/staff-bulletin/all-in-kid-museum-partnership-help-prepare-our-students-for-their-futures/

Does MCPS provide bus service to Davis Library?

Yes, it's like a field trip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP: I also supported Scott Joftus wholeheartedly, bz I know him personally (he coached one of my kids' sports teams for a couple of years). He is a selfless guy who gives back to his community. I also work in the education field & have chatted with him about his ed consulting work. He's smart & we are fortunate that he threw his hat in the ring. I could not name all the other candidates bz I didn't know them personally, 19:06, but I assure you that there are plenty of parents in the Whitman & outside communities (I'm BCC) who know Joftus personally & are delighted that he was appointed. I don't think his wife's role is a conflict of interest, personally. She runs a nonprofit museum, also kid focused. I think the PP with an axe to grind is just searching for some dirt to throw.

Then you know nothing about ethics or conflicts of interest. His wife just got $1.4M of MCPS Operating Budget funds in September.
Nothing to think about. That is a conflict of interest for her husband. He didn’t disclose it. That was unethical.

What is his wife’s salary? Does she get a raise bc of the extra funding? Kid museum clains it helps county students but it sits in one of the riichest neighborhood where most of parents are are highly educated.

The program is focused on schools with higher numbers of students in poverty.

https://news.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/staff-bulletin/all-in-kid-museum-partnership-help-prepare-our-students-for-their-futures/

Does MCPS provide bus service to Davis Library?

Yes, it's like a field trip.

Why can’t all students have Science classes in their own school? Why can’t MCPS provide all students with science curriculum? How come only a few dozen students get bused to Bethesda for science from Joftus’ wife?
The number of MCPS students in poverty is high. They aren’t all being bused to Bethesda. Very few go.
Students from Ckarksburg? Do they ever get this Bethesda science from Joftus’ wife?

[Anonymous]

I'm not clear on what we're supposed to be outraged about. MCPS is spending too much money on this? MCPS isn't spending enough money on this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not clear on what we're supposed to be outraged about. MCPS is spending too much money on this? MCPS isn't spending enough money on this?

Why is MCPS spending money on Joftus’ wife? Joshua Starr is on her Board of Directirs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not clear on what we're supposed to be outraged about. MCPS is spending too much money on this? MCPS isn't spending enough money on this?

Why is MCPS spending money on Joftus’ wife? Joshua Starr is on her Board of Directirs.

They are not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not clear on what we're supposed to be outraged about. MCPS is spending too much money on this? MCPS isn't spending enough money on this?

Why is MCPS spending money on Joftus’ wife? Joshua Starr is on her Board of Directirs.

They are not.

They just did $1.4 m in september

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not clear on what we're supposed to be outraged about. MCPS is spending too much money on this? MCPS isn't spending enough money on this?

Why is MCPS spending money on Joftus’ wife? Joshua Starr is on her Board of Directirs.

They are not.

They just did $1.4 m in september

That's spending money on STEM programs.

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/C6GJTZ4E2726/$file/Cont%20Apprv%20Bid%204403.1%20STEM%20Programs.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not clear on what we're supposed to be outraged about. MCPS is spending too much money on this? MCPS isn't spending enough money on this?

Why is MCPS spending money on Joftus’ wife? Joshua Starr is on her Board of Directirs.

And his wife is a senior communications advisor for them. You can’t make this stuff up!

https://kid-museum.org/about/team/

Ah, good governance indeed.

[Anonymous]

Ie Josh Starr’s wife!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not clear on what we're supposed to be outraged about. MCPS is spending too much money on this? MCPS isn't spending enough money on this?

Why is MCPS spending money on Joftus’ wife? Joshua Starr is on her Board of Directirs.

And his wife is a senior communications advisor for them. You can’t make this stuff up!

https://kid-museum.org/about/team/

Ah, good governance indeed.

And... what impropriety are you suggesting?

[Anonymous]

What’s odd is that MCPS never pays for outside training - yet funds this pet project. They refuse to pay for teachers to be trained in Neuroteach at St Andrew’s. They refuse to send teachers to ASDEC for dyslexia training. They refuse to collaborate with some of the leading universities on research projects - Georgetown and Hopkins get Baltimore County schools to assist...yet they fund this outside project? It stands out because it’s something culturally they don’t do...(they like to keep the money in house)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not clear on what we're supposed to be outraged about. MCPS is spending too much money on this? MCPS isn't spending enough money on this?

+1 I'm actually someone who cares a great deal about good governance, transparency, and ethics, but I'm perplexed about why I'm supposed to be mad here. It appears that MCPS extended an existing partnership with a vendor, before this guy was selected. Graft works the other way around - he gets on the board and then directs funding to a contact. There's no opportunity for impropriety here, because the relationship with the vendor pre-existed the position.