This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/qanda-with-ceo-of-prince-georges-schools-after-sex-abuse-case/2016/04/01/531f4642-ef92-11e5-85a6-2132cf446d0a_story.html

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Q&A with CEO of Prince George’s schools after sex abuse case Q&A with CEO of Prince George’s schools after sex abuse case
(35 minutes later)
Kevin M. Maxwell, chief executive officer of Prince George’s County public schools, spoke to the Washington Post in mid March about issues the Maryland school district faces following the arrest of Deonte Carraway, 22, a school volunteer accused of directing children to perform sex acts and video-recording them. Police say there are at least 17 victims, as young as 9 years old, and that some incidents occurred at school during school hours. Kevin M. Maxwell, chief executive of Prince George’s County Public Schools, spoke to The Washington Post in mid-March about issues the Maryland school district faces following the arrest of Deonte Carraway, 22, a school volunteer accused of directing children to perform sex acts and video-recording them. Police say that there are at least 17 victims, as young as 9 years old, and that some incidents occurred at school during school hours.
Maxwell has since created a task force to look into the school system’s policies and practices for safeguarding children from child sexual abuse. Here is a condensed version of The Post’s 25-minute interview.Maxwell has since created a task force to look into the school system’s policies and practices for safeguarding children from child sexual abuse. Here is a condensed version of The Post’s 25-minute interview.
When you look back now, do you feel the district did enough before this case broke? Was enough done in terms of training, prevention, reporting, supervision? Q: When you look back now, do you feel the district did enough before this case broke? Was enough done in terms of training, prevention, reporting, supervision?
There’s no question at all that what happened at Judge Sylvania Woods Elementary School should not have happened. It’s a very, very serious thing. We’re doing absolutely everything in our power to review our policies, examine our systems, to ensure it doesn’t happen again. It happened. We know that it happened. A: There’s no question at all that what happened at Judge Sylvania Woods Elementary School should not have happened. It’s a very, very serious thing. We’re doing absolutely everything in our power to review our policies, examine our systems, to ensure it doesn’t happen again. It happened. We know that it happened.
At this juncture, the police and the FBI and the state’s attorney (are involved), and there’s an investigation going on. And we have to respect the integrity of that investigation. But what we learn when that investigation is over will inform how we move forward. At this juncture, the police and the FBI and the state’s attorney [are involved], and there’s an investigation going on. And we have to respect the integrity of that investigation. But what we learn when that investigation is over will inform how we move forward.
Further, we have established a task force to look at that very question to say what could we have done differently, what should we have done differently. What should we and will we do differently going forward – informed by that task force which is comprised of experts from different fields related to this work. Further, we have established a task force to look at that very question to say: “What could we have done differently? What should we have done differently? What should we and will we do differently going forward?” — informed by that task force, which is comprised of experts from different fields related to this work.
As a father, as a grandfather, as a (resident) nearly my entire life living in this community, what happened appalls me. It shocks me,. It disgusts me. And we’re going to do absolutely everything we can to ensure that our schools are safe and that our children are taken care of. As a father, as a grandfather, as a [resident] nearly my entire life living in this community, what happened appalls me. It shocks me. It disgusts me. And we’re going to do absolutely everything we can to ensure that our schools are safe and that our children are taken care of.
A month later, do you look back and think you have a systemic problem or inadequacies to address? Q: A month later, do you look back and think you have a systemic problem or inadequacies to address?
We have certainly made some changes at Judge Sylvania Woods (Elementary School). We have assigned a new interim principal. John Brooks is a very accomplished educator. . . .We’ve had our general counsel meet with all of the principals in the school district and had the principals retrain their staff. We’re working with additional training for other folks. We’ve trained substitute teachers, we have a bus driver training coming up. We’ve added cameras to the school, or are adding cameras to the school. . . .Some of that, as you can tell, is system-wide; some of that is at the school. A: We have certainly made some changes at Judge Sylvania Woods. We have assigned a new interim principal. John Brooks is a very accomplished educator. . . . We’ve had our general counsel meet with all of the principals in the school district and had the principals retrain their staff. We’re working with additional training for other folks. We’ve trained substitute teachers. We have a bus-driver training coming up. We’ve added cameras to the school, or are adding cameras to the school. . . . Some of that, as you can tell, is systemwide; some of that is at the school.
Was there problem with employee training? The district is retraining employees. Q: Was there problem with employee training? The district is retraining employees.
We want to be absolutely sure that our employees understand what the expectations and requirements are--our expectations and the requirements of the law. And so again, to be sure that we’re doing everything we can – to ensure our children are safe – we are retraining every employee. A: We want to be absolutely sure that our employees understand what the expectations and requirements are — our expectations and the requirements of the law. And so again, to be sure that we’re doing everything we can — to ensure our children are safe — we are retraining every employee.
Do you think your district needs a code of conduct for employees that spells out what’s appropriate and what’s inappropriate? Q: Do you think your district needs a code of conduct for employees that spells out what’s appropriate and what’s inappropriate?
I believe that we have procedures, we have policies, we have the law. We know that our parents want to have some additional answers, and we want to have some too. When the task force gives us their recommendations on policies, procedures that we should change--a code of conduct. . .We’ll look and see what the task force recommends to us. But I want to make it really, really clear that there is a mandatory legal duty under the law for employees to report (suspected child abuse). A: I believe that we have procedures, we have policies, we have the law. We know that our parents want to have some additional answers, and we want to have some, too. When the task force gives us their recommendations on policies, procedures that we should change, a code of conduct . . . we’ll look and see what the task force recommends to us. But I want to make it really, really clear that there is a mandatory legal duty under the law for employees to report [suspected child abuse].
Do you think the state of your policies and procedures is adequate? Can you describe whether they are they sufficient to protect children? Q: Do you think the state of your policies and procedures is adequate? Can you describe whether they are sufficient to protect children?
I believe they are sufficient to protect children. But I want to be absolutely sure of that. Clearly what happened at Judge Sylvania Woods Elementary School happened - and I will continue to say I find it appalling. What we want this task force to do is to give us expert advice on what else we might have been able to do and certainly can do going forward to keep our children safe from harm. That is our utmost goal, the most important thing to us, and it’s quite personal to me as I’ve said a number of times, and we want to make sure that we are informed by everyone. Again we have policies and procedures, they have overall worked in our school district, but clearly what happened should not have happened. And we want the experts to give us advice on how we might be able to improve what we do. A: I believe they are sufficient to protect children. But I want to be absolutely sure of that. Clearly what happened at Judge Sylvania Woods Elementary School happened — and I will continue to say I find it appalling. What we want this task force to do is to give us expert advice on what else we might have been able to do and certainly can do going forward to keep our children safe from harm. That is our utmost goal, the most important thing to us, and it’s quite personal to me, as I’ve said a number of times, and we want to make sure that we are informed by everyone. Again we have policies and procedures, they have, overall, worked in our school district, but clearly what happened should not have happened. And we want the experts to give us advice on how we might be able to improve what we do.
Do you have a policy, or do employees know what the limits are, in terms of spending time alone with children? Q: Do you have a policy, or do employees know what the limits are, in terms of spending time alone with children?
I believe that - again, we have 20,000 employees, we have 129,000 children- and by and large I believe that people do understand their responsibilities. But again we are asking the task force to make any additional recommendations to us on how we might improve. . . A: I believe that — again, we have 20,000 employees, we have 129,000 children, and by and large I believe that people do understand their responsibilities. But again we are asking the task force to make any additional recommendations to us on how we might improve.
I want to just keep going back and saying the reason we brought together some experts from outside of our school district - supported by folks in our school district - is to make sure we get that independent eye. . . .I think the independence of that group is really really important. And they come from a number of different areas and so they bring a variety of perspectives to the issues at hand.. . .We hope they will give us some really good advice on strengthening the work that were doing to protect our children. . . . I want to just keep going back and saying the reason we brought together some experts from outside of our school district — supported by folks in our school district — is to make sure we get that independent eye. . . . I think the independence of that group is really, really important. And they come from a number of different areas, and so they bring a variety of perspectives to the issues at hand. . . . We hope they will give us some really good advice on strengthening the work that were doing to protect our children.
Why aren’t the task force meetings open to the public? Q: Why aren’t the task force meetings open to the public?
The concern I think or the conversation we had is that we want this team to get a lot done in a very short period of time. We want to make sure that at the end of the process, it is absolutely 100 percent transparent what they are recommendations were. It will be a public document. But the open meetings for the most part are about decision-making bodies in public that are discussing public business. A: The concern, I think, or the conversation we had is that we want this team to get a lot done in a very short period of time. We want to make sure that at the end of the process, it is absolutely 100 percent transparent what their recommendations were. It will be a public document. But the open meetings for the most part are about decision-making bodies in public that are discussing public business.
We will provide regular updates, or Dr. (Charlene) Dukes (the task force chair) will provide regular updates. . . And the final document will be public. But we don’t want folks to have distraction to their conversations and to their work. We want to make that sure they can get the work done, and that they can get the word done well, with robust conversation and lots of time studying. We will provide regular updates, or Dr. [Charlene] Dukes [the task force chair] will provide regular updates. . . . And the final document will be public. But we don’t want folks to have distraction to their conversations and to their work. We want to make sure that they can get the work done and that they can get the work done well, with robust conversation and lots of time studying.
On another policy issue: Your volunteer services procedure is dated 1998 – is that troubling to you? Q: On another policy issue: Your volunteer services procedure is dated 1998 — is that troubling to you?
I returned here in this role as CEO in 2013. The reason that I came back was to try to bring some stability and reform to the school district and to improve the outcomes of this school district. I would say that how the board handled its review of policies in that interim period of time is something I can’t really comment on. . . .But the board does review policies and. . .has the ability to schedule the review of policies with some regularity. But it’s just difficult for me to speak about what happened in a period of time when I was not really affiliated with the school district. A: I returned here in this role as CEO in 2013. The reason that I came back was to try to bring some stability and reform to the school district and to improve the outcomes of this school district. I would say that how the board handled its review of policies in that interim period of time is something I can’t really comment on. . . . But the board does review policies and . . . has the ability to schedule the review of policies with some regularity. But it’s just difficult for me to speak about what happened in a period of time when I was not really affiliated with the school district.
That one was a procedure. Most of what relates to this case involves administrative procedures. Those get done on your level instead of the school board level? Q: That one, just to be clear, was a procedure. Most of what relates to this case involves administrative procedures. Those get done on your level instead of the school board level?
They do. And again the task force is going to look at those procedures to see if there are whether it was reviewed since then and people thought it needed to be changed or whether the language from 1998 still sufficed or not. There are a lot of laws and things on the books that date back in a pretty significant way. The question is: Are they appropriate? A: They do. And again the task force is going to look at those procedures to see . . . whether it was reviewed since then and people thought it needed to be changed or whether the language from 1998 still sufficed or not. There are a lot of laws and things on the books that date back in a pretty significant way. The question is: Are they appropriate?
Do you think there should be penalties for violating these policies? A lot of them don’t get at that. Q: Do you think there should be penalties for violating these policies? A lot of them don’t get at that.
Let me be absolutely clear. When we found out about what occurred, we took immediate steps. We do that every time that there is an allegation that some wrongdoing has taken place. When this first happened, out of an abundance of caution, as I’ve said publicly before, we removed the principal. A: Let me be absolutely clear. When we found out about what occurred, we took immediate steps. We do that every time that there is an allegation that some wrongdoing has taken place. When this first happened, out of an abundance of caution, as I’ve said publicly before, we removed the principal.
There was an allegation about a week ago or so about a teacher at Judge Sylvania Woods; we removed that teacher, pending again the completion of the investigation. There was an allegation about a week ago or so about a teacher at Judge Sylvania Woods; we removed that teacher, pending, again, the completion of the investigation.
At the conclusion of the investigation - which right now rests with the police, the FBI and the state’s attorney’s office - I will take any action appropriate because yes, I believe there should be penalties and there are penalties, and we will move. If people failed to protect our children the way they should have, I will take steps to be sure they are terminated from their employment and not able to work with children again. At the conclusion of the investigation — which right now rests with the police, the FBI and the state’s attorney’s office — I will take any action appropriate because, yes, I believe there should be penalties, and there are penalties, and we will move. If people failed to protect our children the way they should have, I will take steps to be sure they are terminated from their employment and not able to work with children again.
Did the school system make improvements following the 2012 Maryland State Board of Education ruling that called on school districts to put in place policies that address teacher and staff conduct toward students? Q: Did the school system make improvements following the 2012 Maryland State Board of Education ruling that called on school districts to put in place policies that address teacher and staff conduct toward students?
Again, I wasn’t here and I’m not sure what the board did or did not do. What again I think is most important to me is that this independent task force right now take a look at all of those issues related to this because it is clear that this still happened, regardless of what changes occurred. This incident still happened, and it shouldn’t have happened. And so the more important question to me is what recommendations will the task force make so that we can make sure that our children are safe. A: Again, I wasn’t here and I’m not sure what the board did or did not do. What, again, I think is most important to me is that this independent task force right now take a look at all of those issues related to this because it is clear that this still happened, regardless of what changes occurred. This incident still happened, and it shouldn’t have happened. And so the more important question to me is what recommendations will the task force make so that we can make sure that our children are safe.
Do you believe Prince George’s fell short? Q: Do you believe Prince George’s fell short?
What happened is very, very serious. What we did or didn’t do, we’ll know more about that at the end of the investigation. And I think it’s premature to talk about what we did or didn’t do while there is an open investigation. And the answers that parents want - you want - I want them too, and when I have them, we’ll be able to discuss them more fully. A: What happened is very, very serious. What we did or didn’t do, we’ll know more about that at the end of the investigation. And I think it’s premature to talk about what we did or didn’t do while there is an open investigation. And the answers that parents want, you want — I want them, too. And when I have them, we’ll be able to discuss them more fully.