LAWMAKERS REFLECT ON YEAR AFTER GEORGE FLOYD’s KILLING: On the one-year anniversary of the death of George Floyd at the knee of a Minneapolis police officer, and just a short time after that officer’s conviction on murder and manslaughter charges, Maryland lawmakers are reflecting on what impact it has had, writes Bryan Renbaum for Maryland Reporter. “The broader lesson is that the media attention on events like this and the fact that when policymakers and activists and impacted communities come together we can actually make some real change,” Sen. Will Smith (D-Montgomery).
Lawmakers integral to the statewide police reform package approved this year said Tuesday that they’re proud of the progress that was made, but also believe there are places where the legislature could’ve gone further, Laura Olson and Hannah Gaskill of Maryland Matters report.
More information expected at June school board meeting
May 25, 2021 | 9:17 pm
May 26, 2021
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The Montgomery County Board of Education meets on Tuesday with some members in person and some tuning in via Zoom.
Caitlynn Peetz
Montgomery County Public Schools’ incoming interim superintendent was clear during a meeting on Tuesday: Students will be in buildings full-time, with a teacher, in the fall.
A return to a more normal schedule will be the “default” for the district that has been slow to reopen in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic, Monifa McKnight told the school board.
But, McKnight said, every student who wants to be in a classroom in the fall “absolutely will.”
McKnight takes over June 1
May 25, 2021 | 10:43 pm
May 26, 2021
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Montgomery County Public Schools’ interim leader will receive a one-year salary of $295,000, a monthly travel stipend and police protection if needed.
Monifa McKnight, the first woman to lead the state’s largest school district, has secured a contract largely comparable to retiring Superintendent Jack Smith’s.
McKnight has served as Smith’s second in command since August 2019 and was seen by some board members as the “obvious choice” to step in and guide the district through the 2021-22 academic year.
The next year is expected to be challenging as the bulk of students reacclimate to schools after an extended absence, trying to learn from home, due to COVID-19.
The message also includes a screenshot of an email reportedly sent by the school stating that students can “denote if they wish to have the incident followed up at their respective school.”
A spokesperson for Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) told The Washington Times that the form is part of the district’s “Detailed Action Plan to Combat Systemic Racism.”
“The specific reason behind this action step is to utilize it as a means to amplify and elevate student voice,” the spokesperson said in an email last week.
The decision to create the form stems from a 2019 “Systemic Equity Assessment” that “revealed some students who felt marginalized or had experienced bias,” the spokesperson said.
County Honors Child Care Providers on Their Appreciation Day
During Friday’s Child Care Provider Appreciation Day, Montgomery County officials took time out to thank those involved with the 1,271 licensed child care programs in the county that serve about 40,000 children.
Of the 1,271 licensed facilities, 789 are family operations and 482 are centers and faith-based organizations.
Child Care Provider Appreciation Day is celebrated each year on the Friday before Mother’s Day.
“This year, Child Care Provider Appreciation Day takes on even greater significance,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “Long before the pandemic, we recognized our child care providers as essential, and the past year has further highlighted the critical role they play in our community. We owe a huge debt of gratitude for their sacrifices and will continue to do everything we can to support them as we move towards recovery.”