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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Hazel has been complicit in keeping many things opaque to the public and in the shading of information presented to the BOE, including speaking some outright untruths when asked questions, in her prior role.  I'm disappointed, there.[/quote]

Hazel is a mixed bag. I have received some direct outreach from her when I have asked a question, and that has been helpful. She generally seems underprepared for the BOE meetings - does not know her stuff at the appropriate level of detail to answer specific questions. [/quote]

I've had such direct interaction with her, covering a topic discussed somewhat regularly in this forum and having established both her level of detailed understanding and the politically touchy (from an education perspective) resistance point at which she became less forthcoming during the conversation.  I've then seen her, not a month later, sit in front of the BOE, with her direct report (having spoken with that person, as well) providing the typical glossed-over/less-than-they-actually-know report covering that subject.  [b]When asked one question to which a direct answer would at least shed light around the resistance point, she stepped in with a bald lie to try to shut things down -- she very much knew the correct answer.

Unfortunately, our BOE was, and likely still is, too slow or simply complicit -- instead of asking a follow-up question, they accepted that and moved on.  [/b]Having asked the question in the first place would point to the former, unless the Q & A was set up as theater, and the nature of the interaction makes that seem rather unlikely.  Even if curious or uncertain, none of them seem willing to rock the boat, though.  To my awareness, which, granted, is limited, the subject remains one of the many lacking transparency around internal/non-public policy, details of system implementation and ultimate effect on students, teachers and school communities.

It seems clear that this approach inherited from Pugh, and from others before/above her (and not just from the last administration, before someone chimes in with a dog whistle about that).  In choosing Hazel, Taylor either:

1) did not have awareness of how pervasive the problem was among MCPS leadership,

2) bowed to the need for retention of institutional knowlegde in selecting a replacement who, though representing a change in personnel, might not represent a change in culture,

3) came to an understanding with her to effect a change towards transparency with her assuming elevated leadership,

4) shows he is not the agent of change MCPS long has needed, or

5) a mix of these.

I can hope for 3, but I'm not holding my breath.[/quote]

How would they know it was a lie, though? It's a bit of a high bar to ask Board members to assume MCPS staff could be lying at all times and interrogate them to make sure they're not or expose them if they are.[/quote]

In the BOE member's asking the question, they indicated skepticism about the subject as presented.  A competent board member would follow any such deflecting/pat answer with another question designed to challenge/to be more incisive.  Unless they were complicit, of course, asking the initial question [i]so that[/i] the impression left from the deflecting/pat answer could be that the subject had been addressed.  Either way, pretty poor.[/quote]

I don't understand what you mean by deflecting/pat answer.  Can you just say what was said?[/quote]

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