MoCo Schools Superintendent In Battle For Job With School Board

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Monifa McKnight said Monday she has been asked to step down by members of the Montgomery County Board of Education.

McKnight said officers from the Board of Education indicated last week their desire for her to step away from her role as superintendent. She said the school board has provided “no justification for their request.”

“The board has never written, documented, or communicated any concern about my performance, and through the evaluation process has consistently affirmed that I have met expectations,” McKnight said in a statement. “For these reasons, I’m concerned that its actions are based on something other than my performance, which would constitute a violation of my contract.”

McKnight said she “will defend my reputation and my decades-long commitment to the students and families of MCPS, and will demand that any considerations of my role as superintendent are made through a fair, legitimate, and legal process — anything less would be unacceptable.”

McKnight was appointed to the superintendent role in February 2022. She was the first Black woman to lead the school district. Her contract runs until 2026, with a yearly salary of $320,000 as of February 2023.

MCPS hired McKnight as deputy superintendent in May 2019. McKnight was named the interim superintendent in 2021 after the retirement of previous Superintendent Jack Smith’s retirement.

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In a statement Monday night, the Montgomery County Board of Education said it is aware of McKnight’s statement to the media about her employment.

“This is a personnel matter and in alignment with laws related to personnel matters, we, as her employer, will not be providing further comment at this time,” the Board of Education said.

The Montgomery County Education Association teacher’s union said in a statement Monday that “we’ve learned today that the Montgomery County Board of Education has called for the resignation of Superintendent Dr. Monifa McKnight.”

The MCEA said it understands that McKnight said the board is offering no reasons for this decision.

“However, we — like the rest of the public — are aware of serious problems with her leadership,” the teacher’s union said.

In the wake of allegations of sexual harassment and bullying by an MCPS principal, “new revelations increasingly indicate that the superintendent has been more concerned with protecting herself and her close associates than with doing right by front-line staff and students,” the MCEA said.

“The superintendent’s overseeing body, the board, is no doubt aware of confidential information that caused them to determine this drastic step is necessary,” the teacher’s union said. “In declaring open war with the board, Dr. McKnight threatens to further damage not only her own future, but also the board’s efforts to restore the public’s trust in Montgomery County Public Schools.”

Along with the harassment allegations, MCPS has come under criticism over the past few months for a pattern of targeting teachers and organizations that express views in solidarity with Palestinians and critical of Israeli policies and actions.

The county’s Office of the Inspector General released a report in December substantiating allegations against Joel Beidleman, who had served as principal of Farquhar Middle School in Olney.

The county’s inspector general is conducting another investigation into MCPS' process for receiving and responding to misconduct allegations. The report from that investigation is expected by the end of January.

In a statement Tuesday, Montgomery County Council President Andrew Friedson said the Board of Education has the authority to decide personnel matters related to the superintendent of the county's schools.

Friedson also said the county is awaiting the release of the Office of Inspector General’s report on Beidleman. "Upon receipt of the report, the Council's Audit and Education and Culture committees will immediately hold joint oversight meetings that will be open to the public," he said.

Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando, who chairs the council’s Education and Culture Committee, said Tuesday that he is aware of news reports alleging that McKnight was asked to step down by members of the Montgomery County Board of Education.

“While this is a personnel matter with the Board, Dr. McKnight should be afforded due process, as with any employee,” Jawando said.

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