Racial Justice NOW! and community leaders hosted a press conference on Thursday, June 12, 2025 at 10:30 AM at the Montgomery County Council Building in Rockville, Maryland to demand urgent action in response to systemic anti-Blackness, widespread special education non-compliance and continued harm inflicted on Black students and families.
According to the speakers at the press conference, despite repeated calls for reform, the Montgomery County Public School (MCPS) system continues to fail in upholding its legal and moral obligations to Black students. Advocates cite a pattern of negligence, mistreatment, and denial of services, with little to no accountability for staff who engage in misconduct or fail to act.
It was also said that, racist injustices are compounded by the illegal failure to deliver Special Education services required by students’ individual education plan (IEPs), resulting in disproportionate harm and discipline of Black boys by MCPS administrators.
Also shared was that there is are newly targeted disciplinary guidelines set to roll out in MCPS this summer that will further flood the school-to-prison pipeline in Maryland, a state that has a track record in incarcerating young Black men at rates that lead the nation. The guidelines were developed without parental input despite requests for inclusion and rely more heavily on punishment than prevention or restoration.
Speakers at the press conference included parents, education attorneys, disability justice advocates, and youth who have experienced discrimination first-hand. The speakers made some demands to elected officials, including:
-The County Executive and County Council demand that the Board of Education require proof via formal reports and hearings that every MCPS employee and contractor, and collaborating agency, and union has followed existing law, policy, regulations, memoranda of understanding, contracts, and guidelines regarding delivery of special education services, racial equity, student discipline, adult conduct and ethical behavior, and community engagement.
-Enforce and disclose publicly to the fullest extent allowable by law meaningful and student-protective consequences and accountability measures for staff who fail to comply, engage in illegal or unethical misconduct, or violate students’ rights.
-Launch an independent audit and investigation into MCPS special education practices to determine compliance at the student and school levels by race and gender.
-Adopt mandatory anti-racist, trauma-informed, and disability-centered reforms across all schools, including preventative and restorative actions and community engagement as required by existing policy.
-Provide full public transparency on student outcomes, restraint and seclusion incidents, and staff training.
-Require the Chief of Security and Compliance to engage as required with community members and organizations to update the memorandum of understanding with the Montgomery County Police Department in ways that support compliance with special education law and antiracist best practices.
-Designate Black students as a priority Special Population supported by the work of the existing Board of Education committee.
