Seven Locks scandal: Worse than Clarksburg?

The Inspector General audit of MCPS wrongdoing in the Seven Locks/Kendale project is "no different from what's happening at Clarksburg" and "could be considered a lot worse," according to a school board member.

The following quotes in the Potomac Almanac show the trouble ahead for County Executive Doug Duncan, Superintendent Jerry Weast, school board members, and other officials who ignored and even attacked constituents for raising concerns about wrongdoing.

"It's no different from what's happening at Clarksburg. It could be considered worse in a lot of ways because [MCPS] accounts for more than half of the county budget.”
Board of Education member Valerie Ervin

“Citizens are looking around saying, 'Is anyone minding the damn store?' They’re not.”
Valerie Ervin

"We really see Seven Locks . . . as a poster child for accountability in the school system just as folks see Clarksburg as a poster child with regard to land use and planning. It’s the core issue of accountability that links the two.”
Save Seven Locks Coalition leader Sandy Vogelgesang

“What it comes down to ultimately is some segment of the community identifies what it believes to be a flawed process and attempts to get proper response from officials and gets stonewalled, until that group screams so much that nobody can ignore it.”
Mark Adelman, Chairman, Education Committee, Montgomery County Civic Federation