Parental notice and data‑privacy questions raised at hearing on two MCPS federal grants

The Montgomery County Council held public hearings Oct. 29 on two supplemental appropriations to the FY25 Montgomery County Public Schools budget: a $500,000 National Fish and Wildlife Foundation grant and a $367,500 federal grant for improving adolescent health and well‑being. The first hearing had no registered speakers and closed; the second drew one registered speaker, Brenda Diaz.

Diaz used her allotted three minutes to press a series of questions about parental involvement and data collection. She asked how MCPS would collect surveillance data supported by the health grant, whether parents would be notified in advance of the youth risk behavior survey, whether parents would have access to survey questions beforehand and whether parents could opt their children out of participating. She also asked whether parents would be alerted when referrals to behavioral and mental‑health services occurred for minors and whether parents could opt children out of referrals or treatments she said could include STI screening.

Diaz additionally questioned the use of classroom time for services, asking how MCPS justifies taking time away from math, history, science and literature to implement the program while reading and math scores remain low. She closed by criticizing what she described as "divisive and hateful rhetoric" in a recent post by Council Member Kristen Mink that she said labeled a candidate as a "far right extremist" without evidence; the council chair reminded the speaker that the public hearing is not a forum for argument with council members.

No MCPS staff or school officials spoke during the hearing segment recorded in the transcript. The council closed the public hearing after Diaz’s testimony and did not take immediate action on the appropriation during the Oct. 29 session. The Education and Culture Committee work session on these grants is scheduled for Oct. 31, 2024, where staff and committee members can address questions about parental notification, survey protocols and program implementation.