Montgomery County schools superintendent says board wants her to step down

Montgomery County schools superintendent says board wants her to step down

Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Monifa B. McKnight says school board officers recently indicated “their desire for me to step away” from the role, according to a statement released Monday.

McKnight said she was provided with no justification for the request.

“The Board has never written, documented, or communicated any concern about my performance, and through the evaluation process has consistently affirmed that I have met expectations,” McKnight said in the statement. “For these reasons, I’m concerned that its actions are based on something other than my performance, which would constitute a violation of my contract.”

Neither Karla Silvestre, president of the Montgomery County Board of Education, nor Lynne Harris, the vice president, immediately responded to requests for comment. It was not immediately clear what, if any, formal action the board has taken.

Schools spokesman Chris Cram said McKnight remained active in her role as superintendent Monday.

McKnight vowed to defend her reputation as an educator and “demand that any considerations of my role as superintendent are made through a fair, legitimate, and legal process — anything less would be unacceptable.”

She was approved as Montgomery schools superintendent in February 2022. She was the first woman to become superintendent of Maryland’s largest school district.

This is a developing story and will be updated.