Prince Georges County Board of Education

14201 School Lane Upper Marlboro, Maryland 20772 www.pgcps.org

June 5, 2017

Dr. Kevin M. Maxwell

Chief Executive Officer
Prince Georges County Public Schools
14201 School Lane
Upper Marlboro, MD 20772

Dear Dr. Maxwell:

It has come to our attention that members of your administration were involved in altercations with our
colleague, Edward Burroughs III, at the Oxon Hill High School and Potomac High School commencement
ceremonies. We are concerned about the exchanges with Mr. Burroughs, and the authority that you
and your designees have to respond (or direct others to respond) to a board member in the manner
brought to our attention.

In the case of the Oxon Hill graduation, Mr. Burroughs was designated by the board chair to bring remarks
on behalf of the board, per Board Policy 8385. There is no policy or procedure-based restriction to the
manner in which he decides to execute this responsibility. Accordingly, we believe that it was inappropriate
for Dr. Monique Davis, Deputy Superintendent, to exert authority in stopping Mr. Burroughs and two student
leaders from speaking. It is our opinion that were Mr. Burroughs given the opportunity to execute his
responsibility as he deemed, it would have been a positive reflection on the school board and the school
system; the headlines would read: PGCPS Board of Education Empowers Student Voice at Oxon Hill
Graduation. Instead, we have quite the opposite as a result of your designees intervention. Dr. Davis not
only overstepped her authority by restricting Mr. Burroughs, but she also traumatized two graduating senior
student leaders on stage by scolding them publicly to the point of tears.

The very next day, in the case of the Potomac High School graduation exercises, Mr. Burroughs was denied
entry into the Showplace Arena using the back door designated for platform guests. Video footage shows Dr.
Wesley Watts, Chief Operating Officer, repeatedly telling Mr. Burroughs that he could not come on the
stage. Further footage shows that Mr. Burroughs was stopped from entering because his name was
specifically brought to the attention of law enforcement by school security. Per the Washington Post, Raven
Hill said Burroughs was welcome at the Potomac ceremony but not on stage because the administration did
not want another disruption at a commencement. Those actions are concerning because it begs the question
of your authority to 1) deny a board member from being on the platform at any graduation, especially an
elected board member at a graduation exercise of a school in his district, and 2) commanding enforcement of
trespassing by M-NCPPC officers. We were insulted by the threat of Mr. Burroughs being arrested if he
proceeded to join his peer on the platform. Using armed police to discipline an elected official is
unprecedented, excessive and unwarranted. Additionally, the CEOs authority over trespassing, as outlined in
Board Policy 2214, is limited to PGCPS grounds and buildings, not park facilities. Even if it were on PGCPS
grounds, the course of action taken against Mr. Burroughs would have been in violation of Administrative
Procedure 2214, which requires written notice to be sent to individuals about their limited access status.

Under Board Policy 8385, the board chair has the authority to assign an official board representative to
commencement ceremonies. This policy does not limit the number of board members participating on the
platform. The official board representative has historically been interpreted as the board member who will
bring remarks on behalf of the board. For the Potomac High graduation, that representative was Dr. Beverly
Anderson. However, board practice allows for other board members to be platform guests at any graduations
of their choosing. Under no known authority can the CEO or his designee stop board members from being
platform guests.

The fact that all of this has happened is shocking and appalling to say the least. We refuse to believe that
Deputy Superintendent Davis and Chief Operating Officer Watts acted fully of their own accord. We are
inclined to believe they acted under your order and direction, as they served as your proxy -- at the
aforementioned commencement exercises.

Accordingly, consider this a Letter of Rebuke from us to you. At the very least, a public apology is warranted
to Mr. Burroughs and the two senior student leaders at Oxon Hill High School. We will not tolerate injustice
to one of our board members by our systems chief executive officer or any of his designees.

Sincerely,

Raaheela Ahmed Juwan Blocker

Board of Education, District 5 Board of Education, Student Member

David Murray Beverly Anderson

Board of Education, District 1 Board of Education, At-Large

Cc:
Dr. Monique Davis, Deputy Superintendent, Prince Georges County Public Schools
Dr. Wesley Watts, Chief Operating Officer, Prince Georges County Public Schools
The Honorable Rushern Baker, Prince Georges County Executive
The Honorable Derrick Leon Davis, Prince Georges County Council Chair
Chief Stanley Johnson, M-NCPPC Police, Prince Georges County Division
Members, Prince Georges County Board of Education