Latest news with #MCPS
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Montgomery County teachers file class action grievance over payroll issues
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. () — Frustration is growing among some educators in the Montgomery County Public Schools system (MCPS) after some did not receive their paychecks on time, and others received less than they were owed. Now, the Montgomery County Educators' Association (MCEA) has filed a class action grievance against the school system, hoping to bring attention and swift action to what they say is an ongoing problem tied to a new payroll system. 'It is really outrageous,' David Stein, president of MCEA, said. Montgomery County Public Schools pickleball student-athletes headed to China He said the issue is not isolated and that several dozen members have reported problems. 'We need to make sure that our members are paid. They have bills themselves that need to be taken care of and families to support,' Stein said. 'It can really be a hardship when people are counting on a paycheck coming at a particular point and then it's not there.' Stein said the problems began after MCPS rolled out a new payroll system. Since then, teachers and staff have reported various issues to the school district. 'We have hundreds of members who have had issues with the payroll procedures,' Stein said. 'Not just not being paid, but there are issues with leave balances and incorrect pay amounts and some other issues that need to be resolved.' By filing a class action grievance, Stein said the union is using its bargaining power to push the district to act. 'We're basically forcing them to deal with the situation and resolve these issues that hundreds of our members are having,' Stein said. In response, MCPS said the issue affected summer employees who either started work after July 11 or submitted their timecards after that date. The district says all impacted employees will be paid by Wednesday. In a statement, the district said: 'MCPS sincerely regrets any financial and personal strain this delay may have caused. MCPS is committed to working with our associations to ensure our team members are confident they will be compensated correctly and in a timely manner going forward.' Montgomery County Public Schools Montgomery County parents react to court ruling on LGBTQ-related instruction in schools But Stein said the delay never should have happened in the first place. 'They've known these problems were there, and they need to make sure that they solve the issues,' he said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Fox News
16-07-2025
- Fox News
Maryland teacher claims in lawsuit he was falsely branded 'racist' over seating chart dispute
A Maryland high school teacher is taking legal action, claiming he was accused of being a racist after a classroom dispute over seating assignments was mishandled by the school administration. Dan Engler, a former health and English teacher and head coach of the rowing team at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School (B-CC) in Montgomery County, filed a lawsuit against Principal Shelton L. Mooney and the Montgomery County Public School Board, accusing them of defamation and violating school policy in their handling of a February 2023 classroom incident. According to the complaint, two students in Engler's first-period health class asked to sit next to their friends instead of in their assigned seats. Engler, citing the importance of using a seating chart to learn student names and avoid confusion, asked the students — who are Black — to return to their assigned seats. The students refused and remained where they were. Later that day, the students reported the interaction to the assistant principal, alleging Engler told them he would not be able to tell them apart from other students, believing this to be a racial comment. "Part of the misunderstanding may have stemmed from an incident in Engler's English class the previous spring," his attorney wrote in the opposition to the defendants' motion for summary judgment. The filing explained that Engler had read a quote from Muhammad Ali containing a racial slur, which offended some students. Engler apologized, and an investigation determined it was not a "hate bias incident." The students involved in the health class had reportedly heard about the English class incident and had previously asked not to be placed in Engler's class, believing him to be racist. Following the students' report, Principal Mooney was instructed by his superiors to follow the "hate bias incident" protocol. The next day, he informed Engler that he would be placed on paid administrative leave for one day while the incident was under investigation. Two days after the incident, Mooney sent a community-wide email to parents, teachers, staff and students reporting that a "hate bias incident" had occurred at the school. The message said that "several African American students" were told by a teacher that he was "unable to distinguish them from other African American students" in the classroom and that the Montgomery County Police Department had been notified as an internal investigation was ongoing. "Let me be clear, discrimination of any kind must not be tolerated," Mooney wrote before citing the school policy against "insensitivity, disrespect, bias, verbal abuse, harassment, bullying, physical violence or illegal discrimination toward any person." Although Engler was not named in the email, he said he was quickly identified by students, parents and colleagues. He maintains that he did not make the statement attributed to him in the letter and he "did not do anything that could reasonably be classified as a 'hate bias incident.'" The complaint alleges that Engler had his "reputation destroyed by the malicious acts of B-CC's Principal, Defendant Shelton L. Mooney, who falsely accused Engler of racism in a thoughtless, half-baked community-wide email." The lawsuit further claims that Mooney and the school board violated MCPS policies and procedures by sending the community-wide email before an investigation was completed and that they refused to issue a retraction or apology. When Engler returned to work the following week, Mooney allegedly "refused to discuss the matter" with Engler. Upon returning to his classroom, Engler said he was "upset" to find MCPS and B-CC staff holding a "restorative justice" circle in his classroom that they excluded him from joining. Engler told Fox News Digital that the experience took a heavy toll on his mental health. The same day, he went on disability leave for a year and a half before resuming teaching at another school in the district. "I love teaching. I love coaching," he said. "And I really care a great deal about the relationships I have with those kids and helping them learn how to become adults in the best way possible. To lose the confidence of the kids, the trust of the kids, based on what the kids' leadership had to say about me, was devastating. It was identity stealing." According to the complaint, Engler ultimately faced no disciplinary action and the defendants' investigation allegedly failed to find sufficient evidence that the classroom incident constituted a "hate bias incident." "However, the damage to Engler had already been done. Mooney's malicious email falsely branded Engler a racist, destroying his reputation in the B-CC community, causing him deep emotional distress, making it impossible to continue teaching at B-CC, and causing the loss of his position as Head Coach of the B-CC Rowing Team," it continued. Engler criticized the school's handling of the incident as "a tremendous opportunity for virtue signaling." "It really was, and I'm paying the price," he told Fox News Digital. Engler said his reputation has been damaged, and the legal fight has cost his family over $300,000. After attempting to resolve the dispute through administrative proceedings, Engler filed a lawsuit in Montgomery County Circuit Court in August 2023. Engler's case proceeded to trial on Monday. Fox News Digital reached out multiple times to the lawyers for the defendants on the allegations and did not receive a response. The MCPS Board of Education said it was unable to comment on pending litigation. Mooney did not return a request for comment.
Time of India
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Mahmoud v Taylor: Supreme Court rules Maryland students can opt out of LGBTQ-themed classes, Trump admin says 'big win'
Supreme court ruled in favor of religion and said Maryland students can't be forced to read books with gay, transgender characters. The Supreme Court ruled Friday that Maryland parents can pull their children from lessons that cover LGBTQ-themed topics. The Trump administration called it a major win as the administration favored for religious liberty, parental rights against forced LGBTQ lessons. "The Court rightfully held that schools can't shut parents out or disregard their religious obligations to their children. A great day for parents and education champions!" education secretary Linda McMahon said. What is the Mahmoud v Taylor case? In 2022, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) in Maryland introduced supplemental LGBTQ-themed books for kindergarten through 5th grade, first offering parents the option to opt out. In March 2023, MCPS ended the opt-out, citing administrative burden and concerns over stigmatizing LGBTQ students. One book, Uncle Bobby's Wedding, features a gay character who is getting married, while another, Born Ready: The True Story of a Boy Named Penelope, is about a transgender child. A coalition of Muslim, Roman Catholic, and Orthodox Christian parents filed suit, claiming the no-opt-out policy burdened their religious rights. The Montgomery Board of Education and Montgomery County Public Schools released a joint statement on today's US Supreme Court decision: "Today's decision is not the outcome we hoped for or worked toward. It marks a significant challenge for public education nationwide. In Montgomery County Public Schools, we will determine next steps and navigate this moment with integrity and purpose—guided, as always, by our shared values of learning, relationships, respect, excellence, and equity." Several conservative justices, including Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett, expressed sympathy in April 2025 towards the parents and ultimately leaned towards requiring schools to give parents an opt-out. However, no decision was made then, and the high court decided to push an official ruling to June.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Parents, teachers react to Montgomery County Public Schools updated cell phone policy
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. () – Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is trying to have better oversight of the amount of time students spend on their phones. On Friday, the school district said it updated its guidelines for mobile devices for the next school year. The revised policy allows high schoolers to use their phones in between classes and during lunch, but not during class. Middle and elementary school students aren't allowed to use them during the school day at all. 'So thankful, appreciative': Playset built for 7-year-old with leukemia in Montgomery County Parents and teachers who talked with DC News Now said they have mixed feelings about these updated regulations. Nicole Porcaro has been a substitute teacher for MCPS for more than a decade. She said cell phones are a major distraction. 'Getting the kids to even take their earbuds out, it's texting, it's watching videos, it's on social media,' Porcaro said. Jeremy Joseph is the father of two MCPS students, and he agrees that phones disrupt learning. That is why he has advocated for years for them to be taken out of the classroom. 'Because that gives kids the opportunity to focus on their studies,' Joseph said. 'The days and the teacher's time isn't taken up with policing the phones.' Montgomery County police honors fallen officers with memorial service Joseph said the policy update is a step forward when it comes to elementary and middle schools, but not so much for high schools. 'If this is the right policy for elementary and middle school,' he said. 'Why is it not right for high school?' MCPS parent Lisa Cline shares similar views. 'The high school part of the policy seems to be even a little bit more relaxed than it was,' Cline said. 'Elementary and middle, most of the schools were doing that anyway.' Some parents, including Tara McKinney, don't agree with the updated regulations at all. 'I definitely want to make sure my kid can contact me at any point in time,' McKinney said. 'I think it's essential at this point in time.' Montgomery County officials visit businesses for 'National Small Business Week' McKinney isn't convinced MCPS will be able to enforce the policies, nor is parent Dawn Iannaco-Hahn. 'I would say high school is really going to be the most difficult,' Iannaco-Hahn said. 'My son comes home and tells me that there are teachers who will say, 'Please put your phones away,' and kids will cuss at the teacher.' MCPS' full Updated Personal Mobile Device Regulation for the 2025-26 school year can be found here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
School Choice Could Defuse Culture War Fights
The Supreme Court is considering what may be the most important religious liberty case it will review this term. In Mahmoud v. Taylor, religious parents representing various faiths are suing Maryland's Montgomery County Public School District (MCPS) to let them opt their children out of elementary school storybook discussions surrounding themes such as sexuality and gender. During oral arguments, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson questioned the plaintiffs' case. "I'm struggling to see how it burdens a parent's religious exercise if the school teaches something that the parent disagrees with," Jackson said. "You have a choice. You don't have to send your kid to that school. You can put them in another situation." Practically speaking, many families don't have a viable educational alternative in Maryland. Without robust school choice, families on the losing end of zero-sum culture war clashes in public schools have little recourse. Despite Jackson's claims to the contrary, most families cannot just put their children in "another situation." Only low-income students are eligible to receive Maryland's voucher, valued at less than $3,000 during the 2024–25 school year. This would cover just a fraction of the $14,500 average private elementary school tuition in Maryland. The laws governing public school transfers in Maryland are some of the nation's weakest. Maryland is one of four states—along with Alaska, Maine, and North Carolina—that score 0 out of 100 points on Reason Foundation's scoresheet ranking states' K-12 open enrollment laws. This means the right to transfer to other public schools that have space isn't codified in state law. Even if the school districts bordering MCPS let some of these students transfer, they could charge them out-of-pocket tuition, just like private schools. For instance, the neighboring Frederick County and Howard County Public Schools charged transfers $9,000 and $12,700, respectively, during the 2024–25 school year. Moreover, no charter schools currently operate in Montgomery County (although its first is set to launch in Fall 2025). The school board has long opposed them, sparking criticism from the Maryland Board of Education. When the district told families they could no longer opt their elementary-aged children out of the controversial lessons at the beginning of the 2023–24 school year, some parents chose to withdraw their children from MCPS at great personal cost. One family gave up their home and moved in with grandparents so they could afford private school tuition. Another family chose to homeschool their daughter with Down syndrome, sacrificing $25,000 in special services provided by MCPS. Notably, plaintiffs in Mahmoud are asking only to opt out of specific lessons that violate their religious convictions. They aren't demanding that the district change its curriculum. Opt-out policies are a common practice in public education, and families in many states have long been able to withdraw their children from sex education classes. That said, the advocates on Justice Jackson's side of the argument have a point: Where does it stop? There are many other areas where public schools might potentially adopt a curriculum that conflicts with individual religious beliefs. There may be a point at which it becomes overly burdensome for schools to let families opt out of everything they object to while still being enrolled. Hence the need for school choice. When families don't have alternatives, public schools become a battleground for disputes. It becomes impossible to fully accommodate a diverse population with varying values and convictions. The Court should rule in the plaintiffs' favor and let the parents opt out. But families shouldn't have to wait for a high court decision to have access to choice in education. The post School Choice Could Defuse Culture War Fights appeared first on
