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Statement from Board President Wolff and Superintendent Smith on East Silver Spring Elementary School Incident

March 26, 2021

"It was extremely difficult for us to watch the video of the incident involving a 5-year-old student at East Silver Spring Elementary School. Our heart aches for this student. There is no excuse for adults to ever speak to or threaten a child in this way. As parents and grandparents, we know that when families send their children to school, they expect that the staff will care for them, keep them safe and use appropriate intervention processes when needed. In MCPS, we have a commitment to addressing the social-emotional well-being of our students, celebrating their strengths and helping them meet their full potential. All students bring great value to our system and we honor the growth and development of every child. No child is bad. We also expect MCPS staff to follow outlined structures for student intervention and support, as well as school safety. We have asked MCPS leadership to ensure that the school system’s procedures and expectations are clear to all staff. This incident also underscores the importance of having a team of professionals in all schools to support the diverse needs of our students. 

While we are unable to provide further comment on this incident due to pending litigation, we want to assure the MCPS community that we are unwavering in our commitment to ensure that all MCPS schools are safe places where students can learn, thrive and reach their highest potential."

 

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