After Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) selected a law firm to investigate allegations surrounding a school principal, County Executive Marc Elrich reiterated calls for a “true, independent investigation.”
“It would be good that people feel comfortable with the approach the school system’s taking,” he said during a media briefing Wednesday.
MCPS has hired the law firm Jackson Lewis to conduct an investigation surrounding reported sexual harassment allegations toward Paint Branch High School principal Joel Beidleman. The Washington Post reported this month that Beidleman has had numerous complaints filed against him and was recently promoted to principal. He was placed on extended leave as of Aug. 4.
The decision to hire the Jackson Lewis firm caused reaction from leaders including Elrich, councilmembers and the teachers union. Elrich said the firm has a history of representing MCPS.
“This is not going to engender the public’s trust that the school system needs,” Elrich said.
He said the public will wonder whether the investigation was “colored by the relationships with the school system — and frankly, the possibility that some of the people who are responsible for not reporting information adequately in the chain of command over there may be people who are part of the school’s leadership team.”
Elrich supported the county inspector general investigating if the office has capacity, and if not, then the state inspector general could be asked. He also suggested a special investigator who would report to the inspector general, but he emphasized that the inspector general should pick the company doing the investigation.
On Monday, Councilmember Dawn Luedtke and Council President Evan Glass sent a letter to state and county inspectors general asking them to investigate how MCPS handled the reported allegations, and requested that MCPS stop the Jackson Lewis law firm’s work and turn over what was gathered so far to inspectors general.
The Montgomery County Education Association also opposes using the contracted law firm.
Elrich hopes MCPS is willing to change course to ensure a “true, independent” investigation. He said appearance matters and “one would assume” that multiple entities could lead the process.
“So why not pick an investigator that doesn’t trigger concerns in the community over their independence or objectivity?”
On Tuesday, MCPS Superintendent Dr. Monifa McKnight and Board of Education (BOE) President Karla Silvestre both vowed that the investigation will be unbiased and independent and that the results will be made public.
Silvestre said she already has been in contact with the county inspector general. “We welcome the support of the IG,” she said. “We welcome the collaboration.”
However, she stressed, “It is ultimately the Board of Education’s decision.”
