Three members of the public addressed the board on July 23 urging stronger prote ction and transparency around allegations of educator misconduct and for trauma-informed supports in schools.

Jennifer Hansel asked the board to treat educator misconduct as a systemic problem and recommended a three-part response: audit the county’s child-protection policy against best practices from Howard County and D.C. Public Schools; create trauma-informed school environments with aligned culture, policy and practice; and provide transparent data on allegations and outcomes so communities can hold the system accountable. “Children deserve safety. Families deserve transparency. And this board must lead with courage,” Hansel said.

Jeremiah Grossman cited national survey data and localized estimates to urge the district to become a model for preventing, detecting and responding to educator sexual misconduct; he framed the problem as a moral crisis and called for stronger prevention and response systems. Benjamin Levinger, a parent, described his family’s experience when a teacher at his child’s school was removed and said parents received little guidance from the district about what to tell children or how to report concerns. Levinger asked the district to study best practices, identify policy gaps and improve communications during investigations so families and students are supported.

Speakers asked for concrete changes: immediate reassignment of accused staff during investigations, mandated staff training, clear boundaries and student safety education, improved monitoring and staff ratios, and routine public reporting of allegation counts and outcomes. The speakers framed their requests as both child-safety and public‑accountability measures.

Board members did not vote on the public requests. The remarks were made during the public-comment portion of the July 23 meeting and the speakers asked the board to consider policy reviews and operational changes in follow-up work by the superintendent and relevant staff.

Sources: public comments from Jennifer Hansel, Jeremiah Grossman and Benjamin Levinger during the July 23 Anne Arundel County Board of Education meeting.