Reply to Letter from teachers' union to MCPS staff re: Class action lawsuit re: sexual harrassment

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Reply to "Letter from teachers' union to MCPS staff re: Class action lawsuit re: sexual harrassment"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Anyone have the letter?[/quote]

Dear Colleagues, 
  
Thanks to the persistent and courageous actions taken by members of Farquhar Middle School, MCPS has been forced to reckon with its mismanagement of allegations of harassment and abuse.  And because thousands of MCEA members demanded a truly impartial investigation, the Montgomery County Inspector General (IG) is now examining how years of allegations were ignored and mishandled by the MCPS Office of Compliance. 
  
The IG is now requesting interviews with witnesses and those who were personally the target of harassment and abuse. If you are contacted, MCEA encourages you to participate in the fact-finding.  If you receive a request from the IG, please see here for advice as to how to prepare and what support is potentially available to you. 
  
In addition, several MCEA members have enlisted the help of a private law firm that represents employees who have complaints about abuse and harassment.  They are looking to build the strongest possible case by having not only Farquhar employees, but also those from other worksites who may have faced such circumstances, to sign on as parties to the class action.  To learn more about how to join the class action, read this message from the private law firm. 
  
The strong stance that we, the members of MCEA, have so far taken is finally showing results.  Let’s keep the pressure on. We must ensure that in the future anyone who ever faces a hostile working environment in MCPS will have their concerns addressed. 
  
In solidarity,

Jennifer Martin 
President
 
 [/quote]

Here is the information about responding to the IG's office if people are called in the course of investigations.

October 23, 2023

Two months ago, MCPS announced that it had hired an anti-union law firm to investigate the
horrific sexual harassment accusations against Farquhar Middle School Principal Joel
Beidelman, complaints that MCEA had raised with MCPS’s attention for years, while MCPS
refused to take action.

Concerned that the report would not be fair and unbiased, MCEA demanded that a competent,
thorough independent entity investigate the harassment. As a result of member pressure,
MCPS limited its own investigation to how it was possible for Joel Beidelman to be promoted
despite his outrageous and illegal behavior. That report has now been released, and although it
is highly redacted, it is damning. You may read it here: report.

Now the investigation of the sexual harassment allegations has begun in earnest under Sha
Brown, the newly appointed Chief of the Educational Oversight Division within the Montgomery
County Department of the Inspector General. Here are points for consideration:

• Unless stated otherwise, interviewees are questioned as witnesses, not suspects, so
there is no need for alarm.

• Unless you are subpoenaed, your participation is voluntary; however, we encourage you
to participate so that the truth can come fully to light.

• Several employees are represented by a law firm in a potential class-action suit. If you
have an attorney, please inform your attorney before you participate in an interview
with the Inspector General’s office.

• McGillivary Steele Elkin, LLP, a law firm that specializes in representing public sector
employees in labor and employment issues, including harassment in the workplace, is
very interested in hearing from those who filed anonymous complaints of sexual
harassment with MCPS. The suit will demonstrate that half-hearted investigations and
administrative impunity are not limited to just one or two schools. If you filed an
anonymous complaint, please contact McGillivary Steele and Elkin through this site. A
successful class action suit is a highly effective way of forcing MCPS to change its ways.
The firm also offers free consultations to employees and representation at no cost to
the client. Finally, please consider the following information about private remedies for
sexual harassment by MCPS, available here.

• If you are contacted about an interview with the inspector general and would like
support, please contact MCEA at helpdesk@mceanea.org. We are always here for our
members.

Because all of us at MCEA are working hard to ensure that the egregious sexual harassment
employees have endured never is repeated, we encourage you to step up and speak out.

[/quote]

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