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The Prince George’s School Board will discuss paying the chairman’s legal fees
In an executive session late Thursday night, the Prince George’s County School Board discussed paying additional legal fees for Board Chairwoman Dr. Juanita Miller. Some board members believe this is a vote and should be made public. FOX 5’s Lindsay Watts reports from Upper Marlboro with the latest news.
UPPER MARLBORO, Md. – The school board for Prince George’s County Public Schools spent hours in executive session Thursday discussing a FOX 5 report that shows the chairman’s legal fees are being paid. board by the school system, although the board did not approve the expenses.
Sources say the board discussed and voted on additional legal fees for Board Chair Dr. Juanita Miller although the vote failed. Some board members said that’s a discussion that should be held in public.
READ MORE: PGCPS pays board chair’s legal fees to fight takeover
Miller declined to speak to FOX 5 as he left the executive session late Thursday night. We asked if he owed the public an explanation for how their money was spent.
“I asked you to stay away from me! I don’t need to talk to anyone,” said Miller.
Miller is facing dismissal from the state board of education amid allegations of misconduct.
He is fighting the removal in court, and FOX 5 found through a Public Information Act request that the school district has paid more than $32,000 in his legal fees.
Board members said Board Vice President Sonya Williams signed off on the payments and sent them to the school district for payment. A number that says, “Willing to pay,” is marked as SW.
Williams also declined to answer questions Thursday. He was not re-elected, and Thursday was the board’s last meeting.
PGCPS will pay the board chair’s legal fees to fight the removal
According to legal documents obtained by FOX 5, Prince George’s Co. schools are paying FOX 5’s Lindsay Watts spoke to board members who said they were unaware of the funds being used to help Miller.
Prince George’s Councilman Edward Burroughs is now asking for a criminal investigation into the matter, writing a letter to the Maryland State’s Attorney.
UPDATE: Prince George’s County school board chair says she will continue to work amid calls to resign
Burroughs, a former school board member, wrote in the letter that Miller and Williams “seem to be misrepresenting taxpayer dollars.” He points to FOX 5’s reports that Miller’s attorney’s fees are a single source, non-binding contract. Burroughs said he is deeply concerned that the PGCPS accounting department made the payments without board approval.
A spokesperson for PGCPS said the payments were not authorized by the school district, but by the board, although the bills were paid by the PGCPS finance department. He referred us to the leadership of the board, Chairman Miller and Deputy Williams, to answer questions.
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