Prince George’s County special ed teacher among 27 charged in federal drug bust in DC area

BOWIE, Md. (ABC7) — A Prince George’s County special ed teacher has been charged in in a 20-month federal drug bust in the DC area.

Zenja Truitt works at Bowie High School and the school district says she’s been employed since 2016.
Truitt, 47, was one of the 18 people arrested and a total of 27 indicted.

Federal law enforcement officials say the group is accused of conspiring to distribute heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine – between June 2016 and August 2017.

More than 2,000 grams of cocaine and more than 200 grams of heroin were seized, along with firearms, vehicles, body armor and more than $40,000 in cash.

According to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu, “A total of 21 locations were searched during the law enforcement actions on April 12, including four in the District of Columbia, 11 in Prince George’s County, two in Calvert County, Md., one in Charles County, Md., two in Anne Arundel County, Md., and one in Montgomery County, Md.”

Some of those charged face life behind bars. Truitt could spend 20 years in prison.

The announcement from U.S. Attorney Jessie K. Liu:

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Zenja Truitt works at Bowie High School and the school district says she’s been employed since 2016.

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PG Co. NAACP demands CEO Dr. Kevin Maxwell be removed ASAP!

Dr. Kevin Maxwell, CEO of Prince George’s County Public Schools, reads a statement about calling for an state audit of the Head Start program. (ABC7)

LARGO, Md. (ABC7) — The NAACP in Prince George’s County is demanding County Executive Rushern Baker, III, remove Kevin Maxwell, CEO and Superintendent of the county school system, immediately, a press release states.

In the statement, the NAACP says Maxwell has “failed to protect the health, safety and civil rights of the students” within the school system.

“Every child in the Prince George’s County school system deserves to attend school in a safe, secure and protected environment. Those who are entrusted with the children’s care and well-being are hired to teach, transport and deliver our county’s most vulnerable citizens to their homes safely every day. The Prince George’s County school system has failed to properly vet and oversee the staff and teachers it has entrusted with the care of our children.

The abuse that has occurred at the hands of those hired to teach and transport our children is an intolerable situation. The children of Prince George’s County can no longer “wait” for things to “turn around”.

The children of Prince George’s County cannot tolerate another incident of abuse. The children of Prince George’s County deserve responsible, accountable and trustworthy leadership. There is no longer time for excuses, plans or studies. The change must happen now. CEO Maxwell must be removed immediately. We recommend independent oversight by the Maryland State Department of Education .”

A press conference will be held by the NAACP on Wednesday at 10 a.m. in Largo.

via wjla

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Many Thanks to our Delegates, Senators.

MANY THANKS.

We want to take this moment to thank the members of the Maryland House and Senate Delegations for delivering incredible legislative success for residents of the Prince George’s County and especially with HB 1107 for PGCPS. We especially thank our Prince George’s County delegation and Senators who sponsored and supported this bill. Thank you very much for a job well done.

Governor O’Malley signed Maryland House of Delegates Bill 1107 into law on April 9, 2013. HB 1107, which goes into effect on June 1, 2013, enables County Executive Rushern L. Baker III to select the next Superintendent who, pursuant to the legislation, will hereafter be referred to as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the PGCPS. In addition, the County Executive will select the Chair and Vice Chair of the Board of Education. The legislation also authorizes the County Executive to appoint three members to the Board of Education and the County Council will make one appointment. The legislation authorizes the Governor to appoint a three member search committee for the CEO. The County Executive will select the new CEO from the three finalists recommended to him by the search committee. In coming weeks, the County Executive will work with the Board of Education and the County Council to implement this new school governance structure.

As a Movement for Prince George’s County who advocated for the changes, all we can say is that, we are thrilled! In the coming weeks and months, we will work closely with County executive Baker to make things happen and create successful transformation and accountability. We also would like to thank other comrades and anyone else who might have supported the bill by calling their elected officials in Annapolis etc. All we can say is, “Thank you”.  Victory goes to all students, staff and families of PG county.

Once again, Cheers to the Prince George’s County House, Senate Delegations, County Executive Rushern L. Baker III and Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley for signing bill HB 1107 into law, Kudos!

Reform Sasscer Movement for Prince George’s County

“We believe that America’s prosperity must rest upon the broad shoulders of a rising middle class……  We are true to our creed when a little girl born into the bleakest poverty knows that she has the same chance to succeed as anybody else, because she is an American; she is free, and she is equal, not just in the eyes of God but also in our own.”

— Barack Obama, Second Inaugural Address, January 21, 2013

A Woman is Killed in PGCPS School Parking Lot.

Paramedics were rushed to the Samuel Chase Elementary School on Monday morning for a serious accident.

Fire officials said a woman walking in the parking lot of the Prince George’s County school was fatally struck by a maintenance van.  The vehicle was backing up at the time of the accident.

The accident happened shortly after 11 a.m.  Investigators did not immediately identify the woman’s relationship to the school. 

Monday was a scheduled teacher planning day.  There were no classes held  and no students present at the time of the accident.

All embattled superintendent of schools Dr William Hite Jr could say was, “On behalf of the Prince George’s County Public Schools community, I would like to express my sincere and heartfelt sympathy to the family of the victim involved in this tragic incident at Samuel Chase Elementary School,”   “We are working closely with the Prince George’s County Police Department to determine the circumstances surrounding this incident.”  (see statement)

The above tragic accident is once again a clear manifestation of failed leadership in PGCPS. We demand answers why a woman had to die in the school grounds without proper care taken by those involved. Because of this issues and many others in recent months, Dr. William Hite Jr needs to resign immediately.  We are tired of the cover ups and the corruption!

(Sign the petition here and retweet)

12 points why PGCPS needs a new Superintendent

What Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) – District Community needs in a new Superintendent;

1. Community needs a new Superintendent who has a vision, is able to communicate that vision and is able to make it come to pass.
2. Teachers in all schools are 100 percent focused on the children. “Our problem here isn’t funding, it’s some administrators,” one teacher said recently. “There are givers and takers in this world, and it’s sad that in this community we have too many takers.” How can one justify thousands of administrators making over $100,000 with nothing to show for it?
3. The community also needs a new Superintendent who is a team leader and a team player who can educate children on their individual level. William Hite Jr. EdD  (pictutered below) is neither a good team leader nor a good team player.
4. Administrators, Teachers and support staff need a new superintendent who can quickly gain the confidence of leaders within the system, inspire them, motivate them and re-energize them.
5. They also strongly favor a new superintendent as someone who can focus on one or two key areas of change; improve student achievement and be fair and consistent in his or her dealings with employees, students and the community.
6. Other Key suggestions made to the “Reform Sasscer Team” are; A new superintendent who could implement a system wide focus on all schools, meet the needs of students who aren’t college-bound and unify the school system and public behind one vision.
7. A new Superintendent who could assist students make AYP as well as staying focused on students and working on parental involvement. Many schools have been failing contrary to what William Hite has been saying lately as a cover up, (Read the news clip here).
8. The big superintendent goals/qualities that came out of the teachers’ input meeting recently are making data-driven decisions that are not one-size fits all, giving administrators the autonomy to use school data to identify problems at their schools and create solutions to fix them, and bridging racial divisions that exist in the school system.
9. Encouraging collaboration and creativity among teachers, being a visionary and having sensitivity for other cultures including southern and racial issues.
10. A new Superintendent who can work with all the board members without targeting those who do not toe the line by not supporting fraud and other corrupt activities.
11. The Business Community wants a new superintendent who can utilize sound business practices to achieve the outcome that everyone wants — or should want — and that’s getting the best results for our kids. Today, we spend a lot to get a poor product. No business can sustain itself with that model.
12. Finally PGCPS needs a new superintendent who can fight corruption and take heads on  Bully administrators who are sexually harassing staff in various locations, schools, central offices within the PGCPS District system with blind eye of embattled Superintendent Hite.  This issue has been compromising quality of service and has gotten worse under  him. (William Hite Jr. EdD).