PGCPS Board of Education member wants external audit of special ed

Audit of special Education is critical in light of political interference.

This story was first reported by Prince George’s County Sentinel. We covered it here and made our own opinion. According to Washington Post, Prince George’s County school board member Edward Burroughs III (District 8) wants to overhaul the school district’s Special Education Department and has proposed that the school system conduct an external audit to identify areas in need of improvement.

Burroughs said the proposal is partly in response to three meetings he and board members Verjeana M. Jacobs (District 5) and Peggy Higgins (District 2) recently hosted to hear from parents about their experience with special education.

Burroughs said he has identified areas of improvement for the department, which last year provided services to more than 14,000 students — a little more than 11 percent of the 125,000-student body.

He said that parents during the meetings complained that some children’s Individualized Education Programs, written plans that describe the services a child with a disability needs to be successful, are not being implemented properly. They criticized the school district, accusing it of shutting them out of the special-education process and forcing them to pay for expert witnesses to attest to the need for services.

Burroughs said he wants to shift the current burden of proof from the parents to the school about services that children receive.

“My fear is that the parents that cannot afford [to go to doctors and attorneys] are not getting the services needed for their child,” he said. “That is unacceptable.”

The department has made strides in recent years, but parents and advocates say it continues to fall short. Burroughs offered his proposal for an audit during a recent policy committee meeting.

“I believe it’s clear that our special-education department is not serving the needs of the students,” said Burroughs, noting the pleas for help from parents who attended the meetings. “Our special-needs students are the most vulnerable, and it is clear there are systemic issues with that department. I believe it is important to not hide from it but to actually fix the problem. To me, it makes a lot of sense for us to pull together experts in the special-education field to do a comprehensive and systemic audit, a top-to-bottom audit of the department.”

Max Pugh, a spokesman for the school system, said in an e-mail that neither the board nor the administration has made any decisions regarding an audit.

>>> Read more Washington Post

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OPINION

Once again, and as highlighted on the 26th, November 2014,  our position remains the same. After analyzing the whole situation carefully, What surprises most of us is that, now Monica Goldson, the queen of questionable activities, ethnics, and back door deals who also lacks the skills to do anything successful in the system, continues to be the Chief operating Officer (COO). She works closely with  Deputy Superintendent of Schools Dr. Monique Whittington Davis who manages millions of dollars geared for Special Education students in Prince George’s County public Schools (PGCPS). Dr. Monique Whittington Davis who is part of the epicenter of corruption is married to Delegate Dereck Eugene Davis who is a close friend and confidant to Mr. Rushern Baker III (County Executive).  The Chair of the Board of Education Dr. Segun Eubanks reports to Mr. Rushern Baker III who is his the brother in law. Lately, all of them appear to be running to the banks for whatever reasons.

Dr. Monique Whittington Davis reports to her husband a delegate who represents district 25 for Maryland in the general assembly. She also reports to CEO Dr. Kevin Maxwell who in turn reports to Rushern Baker III and Dr. Segun Eubanks engaged in the same practice in various ways including the unions.  Surely, something does not smell right in the special education department within PGCPS and the county in general. What ever happened to common decency? Are manners no longer part of US culture?

One of the issues we brought to the attention of the current regime when they took over power within the system was the role of Ms. Monica Goldson. See our top priorities here points numbers 5 and 21 F. If that’s not the fox guarding the hen house together with the Rushern Baker III regime. We don’t know what it is.

Way to go Mr. Rushern Baker! It just gets better with you at the helm. Maxwell has brought a whole new element of banditry with him and we pray they will all be exposed one day by others.

Many of us are wondering if there is a cloud over Dr. Kevin Maxwell and his Administration! Above all, We better watch his Deputy too a politically connected friend through her husband to Mr. Rushern Baker!  Recently, previous CFO Colby White and his wife filed a claim about a stupid diamond ring. To think they were so dishonest and liars to have filed that “same” claim earlier. What people will do for money? How can these people be brought to PGCPS and expect Students to be honest and to pass the exams.

Now look at how quickly both of them were placed on Administrative Leave for fraud with “pay“. Is that looking out for the public? What happened to Simpson-Marcus and Principal Dwayne Jones? The last time we checked She was still walking around Largo High while Staff, Students, Parents, and the Community are looking at how well protected and bold she has become. Given, the fact that she has declined to step down, or even sought to transfer to another school District together with ASASP President Mr. Dwayne Jones, tells us that, they are all failures as educators and as leaders, and that they cares far more for themselves and their career than for the children in their charge. Monica Goldson, Simpson-Marcus, Dr. Monique Whittington Davis, Dr. Kevin Maxwell  and others involved in this questionable activity are not the type of leaders we would want to see influencing our children in the critical high school years.

It’s amazing how much money these public officials are making at the expense of the county citizenry. Yet, the Teachers who make the Schools look good barely get a decent salary or even enough material for the classrooms. You will be surprised how many PGCPS Teachers have to work a second job or other jobs just to make ends meet.

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Fox guarding the hen house in PGCPS while poor students suffer.

Read more >>>>Call your Elected Officials now and the Media.

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Prince George’s County school board chairman Segun Eubanks (Brother in Law to Rushern Baker III involved in mega-corruption involving PGCPS) listens to parents and staff speak. He has been laughing all the way to the Bank recently while poor students and staff suffer… What ever happened to common decency? Are manners no longer part of US culture?

Rushern Baker III Current County Executive for Prince George’s county – Appears to be driving corruption to new heights.

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