BOE hears updates, concerns in last meeting of year

Parents angered by lack of teacher support, sex abuse in schools

The Charles County Board of Education held its last monthly meeting for the 2017-2018 school year on June 12 at the Jesse L. Starkey Administration Building in La Plata. Discussion topics included block scheduling, preand post-test assessments and a series of tasks and social media initiatives that the school system’s communications department is working on. Parents also raised their concerns regarding the lack of teacher support and child sexual abuse in schools during a public forum.

School system Superintendent Kimberly Hill gave an updated report on the class of 2018’s achievements and a community-based School Safety Advisory Council meeting held earlier this month. Hill also addressed questions and concerns from board members regarding the National Archery in the Schools Program, contact information for Parent Teacher Organization presidents and the fate of the teen parenting program.

“The class of 2018 earned $121.5 million in scholarship offers, up from $79 million last year.

These graduates are heading to Ivy League, four-year and two-year colleges as well as entering the military, enrolling in trade schools or entering the workforce,” Hill said. “Prior to graduation, many seniors visited their old elementary or middle schools during a series of Parades of Success. The parades are an annual event that allow graduates to inspire our young students to work hard and graduate, as well as provide seniors an opportunity to thank some of their early teachers who helped them along the K-12 educational path.”

In addition to celebrating the class of 2018’s record-breaking milestones, Hill said the Robert D. Stethem Educational Center honored its career and technology education seniors for graduating with college- and career-ready skills achieved through the center’s programs. Other recognitions included adult students with disabilities in the Adult Independence Program.

As far as the School Safety Advisory Council meeting, Hill said the 27-member group — which is composed of professionals with credentials in security, mental health, cybersecurity, law enforcement, victim services, the military, public safety and other safety related fields — reviewed initial subcommittee suggestions and offered an outside look at the school system to give officials their recommendations for change.

“The group is making short-term suggestions while working on longterm solutions,” said Hill. “The council is an independent check on our safety procedures and policies.”

In response to a request for information about the teen parenting program, Hill said it has not been in existence for several years. School officials have provided, however, educational services to pregnant students through the Virtual Academy at Stethem. There has been one student in this program each of the last two years, according to Hill.

Union update

Linda McLaughlin, president of Educators Association of Charles County, spoke about a tentative agreement between the association and school system that was ratified and accepted by EACC membership as of June 11. Out of 456 members, McLaughlin said 413 (90.6 percent) voted to ratify the salary and benefits contract and 43 (9.4 percent) voted not to. The ratified contract will take effect on July 1.

“As the whole contract was open this year, this was a tremendous amount of work,” McLaughlin said. “Though, there are many things to be proud of in the newly ratified negotiated agreement — the recalibration of the salary scale and the recovery of the lost step from (fiscal year 2011) are a huge step forward.”

In June and July, four EACC delegates will attend the National Education Association Convention in Minneapolis. Among the delegates to represent Charles County will be McLaughlin, Sean Heyl and Bill and Kathy Reamy.

The EACC will also send eight of its members to participate in the Maryland State Education Association’s (MSEA) annual Summer Leadership Conference at Salisbury University in late July. McLaughlin said the conference is designed to build leadership capacity and help strengthen state and local associations. Members will participate in several workshops including the Emerging Leaders Academy, advanced leadership, association representative training, member advocacy and organizing.

When it comes to offering quality professional development, the MSEA and EACC will provide a special class in August called, “Yes You Can! Classroom Management for Maryland Educators.” Individuals who complete this class will receive two credit hours that can be used to renew their Advanced Professional Certificate, according to McLaughlin.

Parents vent during public comments

Teresa Hicks, a parent whose two children attend J.P. Ryon Elementary School in Waldorf, spoke first about the lack of teacher support.

“I feel that there’s too many red flags that have popped up in our school that you guys have not done anything about,” Hicks said. “Our school is not supported. Our school has been let down. And I strongly believe that our principal does not support our teachers.”

“We have really good teachers and we’re losing them,” Hicks continued. “Our school is failing because of that. The morale of our teachers is down and we really need the support. Something needs to happen because this school has gone downhill in a matter of seconds. It’s just very upsetting to know that this is happening in our school and that our students are also the ones that are suffering.”

During her emotional plea, Kim Williams, also a parent, said she wants sexual abuse among students to stop. Given the number of teachers indicted in the past year and a half, the large number of students affected and the number of schools impacted, Williams said it’s obvious that there’s a problem.

“When I go to work and leave my daughter at school, I expect that she’ll be in a safe environment,” Williams said. “When I come home at night and [see that] Charles County is the feature of the evening news regarding child sexual abuse in schools at the hands of teachers and substitute teachers, that angers me. And then, I get messages from the school board and superintendent describing the indictments of the teachers and the substitute teachers [which] I feel like is only part of the issue.”

For Williams, having restricted access to school buildings is problematic as parents are not aware of what goes on inside. She said it’s simply not enough for parents to receive letters and email messages when wrongdoing has already occurred.

“Right now, we have very little information regarding the concrete changes that are being made by the school board and the school superintendent to fix the problem,” Williams said. “I think it’s important for the school superintendent to tell parents not only the bad actors and the bad actions, but [also] what the comprehensive, schoolwide response is going to be. Parents need to have confidence that the responsible adults, charged with the administration of the schools, have a heart and care about this issue and are taking steps to correct it — that you’re leading the issue and not following behind. Right now, I feel that Charles County is following behind.”