In results released today, a whopping 94.28% of the almost 7,000 Montgomery County Education Association members who voted supported a no-confidence resolution against the Montgomery County Public Schools Board of Education and its Interim Superintendent Monifa McKnight.
The resolution states, “The members of MCEA declare that we have no confidence in the ability of current members of the Montgomery County Board of Education or Interim Superintendent Monifa McKnight to effectively address the current crisis in our schools caused by the effects of COVID-19. MCPS leadership has consistently shown a dereliction of duty and a lack of competence. We demand immediate action to address our concerns.”
No specific actions or demands are included in the resolution.
According to the MCEA website, the union has more than 14,000 teachers, guidance counselors, speech pathologists, media specialists and non-supervisory certified educators as members.
The resolution also states that MCEA members have the right to a safe, healthy working and learning environment. They add MCPS “has been unable to provide a coherent plan to address the many issues that have resulted from the most recent COVID-19 surge.”
The members also agreed that MCPS’ executive leadership’s decisions “have exacerbated challenges that our county has been facing such as educator retention, closing the opportunity gap, engaging marginalized communities, and fulfilling special education requirements.”
According to MCEA, the school district has failed to provide clear metrics and a reliable and timely testing program for students and staff. According to the resolution, MCPS has also failed to address student absences and staff shortages.
“As a result, changes in operations have been both ill-considered and poorly implemented, seriously hindering teaching and learning, as well as alienating and sowing divisiveness in communities ravaged by this pandemic.”
The resolution also addressed what MCEA called a lack of transparency and a failure to communicate, which they said added stress to all involved.
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