6 employees disciplined for actions in Prince George's Co. Head Start program
PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. - Prince George's County Public Schools have confirmed that disciplinary actions have been taken against six employees in the reported misconduct in the county's Head Start program.
This comes just days after the federal government pulled a $6.5 million grant for the program after an investigation found evidence of child abuse and poor teacher training.
The school system made the announcement on Thursday afternoon.
"Today, I have taken disciplinary action against six individuals directly involved in the incidents cited in the Administration for Children and Families report, including certified teachers, classroom aides and an administrative supervisor," Kevin Maxwell, the CEO of Prince George's County Public Schools, wrote in a press release. "These individuals will no longer be in front of any child in Prince George's County Public Schools."
"Our message is clear: We will not tolerate this type of behavior," the release continued. "Our schools will cultivate teaching and learning environments that prioritize students' well-being - and we will act swiftly to remove individuals who do not uphold these ideals. We are continuing to implement system-wide recommendations from the Student Safety Task Force, steps that will improve our protocols around reporting and transparency at all levels of the system. Every day, we will work diligently to fix the culture and conditions that led to past incidents and abuses."
According to a source, three of the employees have been fired and three others have been recommended to be fired, which have to be approved by the school board.
An interim grant is being used to keep the Head Start program operating.