Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) has hired a Baltimore-based law firm to investigate allegations of sexual harassment surrounding Paint Branch High School principal Joel Beidleman, The Washington Post reported Monday.
MCPS retained the law firm Jackson Lewis.
“If you’re hiring somebody now to investigate, what does that say about the investigations that were done previously?” County Executive Marc Elrich said during a media briefing Tuesday. “Or, people might ask, were they done at all? Or were they not done right?”
The Post reported Friday that Beidleman has had multiple complaints of sexual harassment filed against him and was recently promoted to principal.
Elrich told MCM on Sunday that the recent chain of events “begs a lot of questions,” and that if allegations are true, “There are some people who need to be held accountable.”
Beidleman was placed on extended leave as of Aug. 4.
Montgomery County Education Association President Jennifer Martin made a statement in light of the recent exposure.
“Unfortunately, MCPS leaders chose to dismiss or ignore the pleas of our members and the compelling evidence we provided,” the teachers union president said in part of the statement.
MCM reached out to Beidleman and MCPS for comment.
Related Post:
Councilmembers Continue Weighing in on Charges Against MCPS Principal
