Free Republic

Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Monifa McKnight said in a statement Monday she was asked by school board members last week to “step away” from her post. McKnight said the board didn’t give a justification for its request and hadn’t communicated concern about her performance — and she said she would fight the attempt to oust her. (See backstory below) “For these reasons, I’m concerned that its actions are based on something other than my performance, which would constitute a violation of my contract,” McKnight said. “I will defend my reputation and my decades-long commitment to the students and families...

Montgomery County Public Schools granted a $191,000 salary to a principal with 18 counts of sexual assault, harassment, and bullying reported against him. Joel Beidleman was employed with the Maryland district for years as principal of Farquhar Middle School, and was promoted in June to run Paint Branch High School in Burtonsville. MCPS announced on Friday that Beidleman would take an “extended leave,” after a bombshell report from the Washington Post highlighted the former administrator’s years of alleged harassment. Many sources interviewed for the Post’s article agreed to publicize Beidleman’s purported misconduct because of his new position. Educators who used...