Superintendent Thomas Taylor assumed the office on June 25, 2024.

by Audrey Farris ‘25 and Seph Fischer ‘25

Thomas Taylor, appointed school superintendent on June 25, faces a daunting task. He became the leader of MCPS at a time when the nationally known school district was in crisis following the departure of former Superintendent Monifa McKnight amidst a litany of controversy over her handling of the sexual harassment allegations against former Farquhar Middle School principal Joel Beidleman. In the wake of McKnight’s abrupt exit as superintendent, Taylor’s ‘Entry Plan’, as highlighted on the MCPS website, includes efforts to rebuild trust and transparency in which MCPS improves communication with parents, staff and the broader community.

Additionally, highly publicized incidents of bomb threats, hate crimes, and fights have
alarmed many parents and raised concerns about student safety. “Our no. 1 priority is making sure that our students, our staff and our visitors have a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment,” said Taylor at a press briefing hosted by County Executive Marc Elrich, concerning rates of school violence in MCPS. This, at least on its surface, displays a marked shift in emphasis from the McKnight administration, which prided itself on “expanding restorative justice supports” to address student behavior. Part of this refocus includes the appointment of Marcus Jones, former Montgom-
ery County Police Chief, to the position of Department of Security and Compliance chief. Under Taylor’s leadership, MCPS also has initiated new security measures, such as requiring students to wear or carry their school IDs during school. However, other suggested measures, including vape detectors in bathrooms, thus far lack details or implementation.

The new superintendent is attempting to tackle complex issues through his “E3” plan. Standing for Engagement, Evaluation, and Empowerment, the plan involved first engaging with the communi-
ty through meetings and school visits, then evaluating what must be done to fix important issues
facing the MCPS community and drafting a new MCPS Strategic Plan, and finally empowering members of the MCPS community, through frequent communication with staff and families. An interest survey compiled by the new administration has revealed to Taylor the top issues that need
to be addressed according to the community. Lacking educator support, poor student behavior,
and unnecessary administrative hurdles for both educators and families made the top of the list, giving the new administration clear data on the issues that most concern MCPS families, students, and staff.