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Three weeks ago, several members of the Prince George鈥檚 County Board of Education聽聽in an effort to resolve a stalemate over the hiring of a new attorney.
They agreed to recommend that the full board go with a temporary hire, someone who could handle some legal matters, but they couldn鈥檛 reach consensus on how to procure more permanent counsel.
The subcommittee meeting of the board was mostly cordial 鈥� in contrast to some sessions 鈥� but the bonhomie ended when board member Edward Burroughs III accused board Chair Juanita D. Miller of gaming a prior attempt to hire an attorney.
That set Miller off.
鈥淵ou know what, I know I鈥檓 being rude,鈥� Miller said, interrupting Burroughs, her longtime rival. 鈥淏ut I am not going to tolerate these lies.鈥�
Miller, an appointee of County Executive Angela D. Alsobrooks (D), then went on an extended rant, ignoring more than a dozen requests from subcommittee Chair Raaheela Ahmed to wait her turn.
鈥淔or him to sit there and tell this lie before the public, I鈥檓 not going to tolerate it,鈥� Miller bellowed. 鈥淲hat is being done by this board and that particular group is criminal. Clearly criminal.鈥�
Miller didn鈥檛 explain her comment, but it was an apparent reference to聽聽alleging that Burroughs and several other elected board members had engaged in wrongdoing.
The members have all denied the allegations, but their ability to publicly rebut the findings is limited by confidentiality rules. Some have hired attorneys to fight the ethics committee鈥檚 findings.
Typically, allegations of 鈥渃riminal鈥� conduct, in the absence of indictments, would generate controversy. But Miller鈥檚 comment made barely a ripple. No one participating in the Aug. 30 committee meeting felt moved to even acknowledge her inflammatory charge.
One top Prince George鈥檚 official 鈥� County Council Chair Calvin S. Hawkins II (D) 鈥� later called Miller鈥檚 comments 鈥渦nwarranted and unnecessary.鈥�
鈥淚t is troubling,鈥� he added. 鈥淲e鈥檙e better than that.鈥�
But other officials shrugged off Miller鈥檚 casual allegations of criminality as business-as-usual for a school board that has been riven by conflict for months, if not years.
Many noted that Burroughs and his allies have pilloried Miller for months in the media, accusing her of being unfit to serve. They have sought her removal by the state Board of Education.
In addition, Burroughs and his attorney, former Prince George鈥檚 State鈥檚 Attorney Glenn F. Ivey (D), were featured prominently in 补听, a national progressive group whose mission statement declares: 鈥淭he powerful spend billions selling us their side of the story. We aren鈥檛 buying it anymore.鈥�
The video has been viewed more than 228,000 times. An accompanying tweet alleges without evidence that 鈥渓obbyists & business groups鈥� in Prince George鈥檚 鈥渁re attempting to overturn an election in plain sight to keep control of a $2 billion school board budget.鈥� That鈥檚 an apparent reference to the ethics complaint and the potential that it could lead to some board members鈥� removal.
More Perfect Union claimed that a sparsely attended Aug. 2 rally outside school board headquarters 鈥渨as organized by lobbyists with deep financial ties鈥� to Alsobrooks, though it offered no documentation. The one attendee who is featured, Prince George鈥檚 Chamber of Commerce President David Harrington, makes no mention of corruption; he does urge an end to the 鈥渄ysfunction鈥� that has gripped the panel.
鈥淚t鈥檚 critical for us to make sure we do everything we can to figure out exactly who is doing this, and make sure that they鈥檙e held accountable, because it鈥檚 way over the line,鈥� says Ivey, who is representing three of the accused board members, in the video.
The More Perfect Union video was released on the first day of class in Prince George鈥檚, a day that tested the system鈥檚 ability to bring students back for in-person instruction amid rising COVID-19 infection rates and a nationwide bus driver shortage.
鈥楨nough is enough鈥�
Members of the General Assembly and other county leaders are fed up with the school board鈥檚 clashes and the never-ending battles between Miller and the elected members. (She once referred to her younger colleagues in an interview as 鈥渢he children.鈥�)
They say privately that they regard the board as a whole to be an embarrassment for Prince George鈥檚 and a poor example for students.
Although there is talk of yet another change to the board鈥檚 structure (currently, four members are appointed and nine are elected, along with one student member), there is no guarantee that the General Assembly will approve any proposal that is put forward. Any changes that are adopted would likely take months or years to implement.
To resolve the bad blood in the short term, several county leaders have concluded that outside help is warranted.
鈥淓nough is enough,鈥� one member of the legislative delegation said.
鈥淚 think that鈥檚 there鈥檚 room here for the county executive to have a mediator and intervene,鈥� said Del. Joseline A. Pe帽a-Melnyk (D-Prince George鈥檚 and Anne Arundel). 鈥淭hey鈥檙e at an impasse.鈥�
鈥淲ithout some intervention, this is not going to end well,鈥� she added.
Harrington, a former Democratic county councilmember and state senator, said that any board member who refuses to end the bickering needs to rethink 鈥渨hether or not the school board is the right place for them.鈥�
鈥淭he dysfunction of the school board 鈥� the whole school board 鈥� must be called into question,鈥� said Harrington. 鈥淢ediation is required.鈥�
Alsobrooks has met with individual members multiple times. But, in an interview, she said she lacks the power to force the warring factions to settle their differences and behave professionally.
鈥淓ven though I cannot force them into mediation, I would be happy to facilitate mediation,鈥� she said. 鈥淚n fact, I think it would be a step in the right direction. I think it would be something that would be helpful, so we can return to discourse that is only focused on children.鈥�
Deep into 补听聽that was held on Sept. 2, the board was upbraided by its own parliamentarian, Bill Shelton, an attorney who has agreed to serve temporarily.
Asked if would be willing to serve permanently, Shelton said he would not, for fear of his reputation.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 afford to come on TV and look like Boo-Boo the Fool, because I have to make a living,鈥� he told the board. 鈥淲hen people talk about this board, that鈥檚 what they think of you. That鈥檚 what they think of all of us.鈥�
Shelton said he has 鈥渃ome close鈥� to quitting in the middle of board meetings. He is often shown on Zoom holding his head, as if in anguish.
鈥淢ost professional people would not want to work with this board because you don鈥檛 conduct yourself in a professional manner,鈥� he added. 鈥淵ou need to learn to love one another and not be at one another鈥檚 throats all the time.鈥�
Members of the county鈥檚 General Assembly delegation are in frequent contact with one another over the school board鈥檚 dysfunction, but few are willing to speak out publicly.
Some are reluctant to offend the elected 鈥減rogressives鈥� on the board because they have proven adept at winning elections. Many want to steer clear of the ethical cloud, which hovers unresolved. Still others question Alsobrooks鈥� decision to hire Miller, a former state legislator and ex-commissioner of the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, given her sometimes-confrontational leadership style.
There is broad concern that the turmoil could lead Dr. Monica Goldson, the highly regarded CEO of the school system, to depart.
Del. Jay Walker (D-Prince George鈥檚) endorsed the idea of a formal coming-together process.
鈥淭he next step is to have a come-to-Jesus meeting and everybody agree that they鈥檙e in it for the kids.鈥�
Impasse over disputed ethics allegations
Amid the questions about the board鈥檚 poisoned relationships, its lack of an attorney, and concern about Goldson鈥檚 willingness to remain, there is also uncertainty about the ethical allegations.
When the ethics panel鈥檚 conclusions were first reported by聽Maryland Matters聽over the summer, the charges trained a harsh light on the members accused of wrongdoing 鈥� and led Alsobrooks to call on the state school board to conduct an immediate review.
But Miller has been unable to muster the votes needed for the local school board 鈥� where half of the members stand accused of some wrongdoing in at least one of the three ethics reports 鈥� to formally accept the reports. As a result, the聽.
In an interview, Miller conceded it鈥檚 unclear what will happen next.
鈥淚鈥檓 a realist. The votes aren鈥檛 there,鈥� she acknowledged. 鈥淪o if the votes aren鈥檛 there, why keep toying with it?鈥�
Supporters of the accused board members 鈥� and one of the members, in聽聽鈥� have dismissed the ethics committee鈥檚 reports as error-riddled and politically motivated.
Maryland Matters聽obtained Prince George鈥檚 County Schools documents, including emails, that contradict many of the findings of the ethics panel, which appeared drawn to fit a pre-determined narrative.
Among the contradictions are disputed details of the board鈥檚 effort to hire a lobbyist in Annapolis.
The ethics report accused Burroughs and other members of hiring 鈥渁 private lobbyist鈥� as part of a 鈥渧oting block鈥� to 鈥減romote the passage of one piece of legislation:鈥� a bill to replace the appointed members with elected members.
The ethics panel also concluded that the board鈥檚 lobbyist, Jennifer Jenkins, failed to produce reports or attend committee meetings. But school system documents reveal that she produced at least two reports on a range of issues, including early literacy and mental health services. And 补听聽offers proof she attended at least one meeting with Goldson, Miller, legislators and the public.
The ethics panel also stated that Jenkins didn鈥檛 work the entire 90-day General Assembly session, but failed to note that she only served 17 days because she received a stop-work order from Miller.
The ethics report claimed that the board improperly funneled work to Jenkins without issuing a Request for Proposals from other potential candidates for the lobbying job. But, according to a Nov. 15, 2020, email, Goldson told Burroughs: 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 need an RFP for this. It was considered a consultant.鈥�
And the ethics committee鈥檚 conclusion that Jenkins lacked the 鈥渃redentials and experience鈥� to lobby for the board is contradicted by her resume; she worked for a government relations firm and spent six years on the staff of the Prince George鈥檚 County Council, supporting the council鈥檚 legislative efforts.
The ethics panel also suggested that Burroughs and others operated in isolation to procure a lobbyist. But emails show that Burroughs discussed the issues with others, including the board鈥檚 attorney and Miller鈥檚 predecessor as chair, Alvin Thornton. The ethics panel ignored the fact that it was Miller, after she became board chair, who signed the board鈥檚 contract with Jenkins on Jan. 20, 2021.
Then there is the ethics committee鈥檚 allegation that board members voted to expand a 鈥�$500,000 Construction Contract鈥� with the Laborers International Union of North America (LiUNA) without disclosing campaign contributions that some members received from the organization.
The agreement is cast as an attempt to steer contracts to union-approved firms.
A top school system official confirmed that LiUNA does not have a 鈥渃onstruction contract鈥� with the Prince George鈥檚 County schools. The union did enter a 鈥減ilot project labor agreement鈥� for asbestos removal in 2019.
That agreement encouraged contractors to use their 鈥渂est efforts鈥� to ensure that half of the system鈥檚 asbestos work be performed by county residents, and it required companies and the union to 鈥渨ork cooperatively鈥� to boost opportunities for historically disadvantaged firms, according to a review of the project conducted by PGCPS Chief Operating Officer Barry L. Stanton.
鈥淥verall the pilot asbestos project was a success for Prince George鈥檚 County Public Schools and LiUNA,鈥� Stanton鈥檚 report concluded. 鈥淎ll contracts came in on budget,鈥� and numerous women and minority hiring and salary 鈥済oals鈥� were 鈥渁chieved.鈥�
Three months later, Burroughs and Miller exchanged emails about a possible expansion of the agreement to include 鈥渙ther scopes of work.鈥�
In a Jan. 27, 2021, email to Burroughs, Miller offered 鈥渃ongratulations on the success of the CWA (community workforce agreement) project鈥� and offered to co-sponsor the expansion measure.
鈥淏ased on what I have read, I can co-sponsor and will encourage our colleagues to join in as well,鈥� she wrote.
Although the ethics report found 鈥渋t would appear鈥� that Burroughs鈥� support for an expansion of the project labor agreement 鈥渨as largely 补听quid pro quo鈥� for campaign contributions he received from LiUNA, it offers nothing to back this charge.
The report quotes the National Right-to-Work Legal Defense Foundation, an anti-union organization based in Virginia, as an objective source on contracting issues.
Gregory T. Morton, the ethics committee鈥檚 chair, declined to discuss the report on Tuesday.
In an interview, Miller would not disclose whether she intends to again ask the board the accept the ethics report. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 going to die,鈥� she said.
The board next meets on Thursday evening.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just unfortunate that the board鈥檚 actions are causing the system itself to have a distraction from the great things that are going on,鈥� Miller said.
She added that her focus is on the new school year and the challenges that all school systems are facing.
鈥淲e鈥檒l just have to see what happens with this ethics issue,鈥� she said.
Like the colleagues with whom she has feuded, Miller appeared weary of the whole thing.
鈥淭his is not what I signed up for,鈥� she said.
