School Security Chief Resigns

(Posted 17 Oct 2007)

---

Pr. George's Schools Security Chief Quits.
Post, 17 Oct 2007 (Hernandez).

The chief of security for Prince George's County public schools, whose management and reporting of disciplinary incidents and crime are under investigation, has resigned, citing personal and family reasons, the superintendent said yesterday.

Russell P. Tedesco stepped down Friday, Superintendent John E. Deasy said. Members of the Board of Education said last month that they are investigating whether the security department has been accurately reporting security data and that they are examining a situation in which Tedesco worked in the same department as his wife.
* * *
According to a report by the Maryland State Department of Education, Prince George's led Maryland's 24 jurisdictions in suspensions during the 2005-06 school year, having issued more than 22,000.

But a comparison of suspensions with incidents reported by the security office shows discrepancies in the reporting of school crime. The school system suspended 158 students for arson, fire and explosives violations in the 2005-06 school year, and the security office filed 13 such reports. The system suspended 148 students for sex offenses; the security office filed 20 such reports. The system suspended 492 students for having guns, knives and other weapons at school; the security office filed 311 such reports.
[More]