Fort Worth ISD’s school board unanimously voted to hire Mohammed Choudhury as a deputy superintendent at a meeting in late June.
“We are excited to get him back to the great State of Texas,” Superintendent Angelica Ramsey said of the new official.
Local groups, however, such as FWISD Watchdog, have expressed concern about the board’s decision.
“Not real sure who vetted Mr. Choudhury. We know the Trustees didn’t and that is a shame. Mr. Choudhury has bounced around Including stints with the Dallas ISD (2014-2017), San Antonio ISD (2017-2021) and most recently the State Superintendent of Schools for the Maryland State Department of Education (2021-2023),” FWISD Watchdog posted on Facebook.
In March 2023, Choudhury faced a petition from Maryland taxpayers calling for his ouster.
“In the Superintendent’s short tenure, he has proven to be an ineffective leader of our state education system who, rather than partner with local education systems, has taken unprecedented steps to erode the rights of locally elected school boards, teachers, and parents,” the petition stated.
Former colleagues have also accused Choudhury of creating a “toxic” work environment as the Maryland State Department of Education’s superintendent of schools.
For an article published in July 2023, The Washington Post conducted more than 50 interviews with former education department employees, early childhood service providers, school district administrators, and elected officials. Those interviewed alleged that Choudhury’s leadership led to late payments to school districts, late reports to state legislators, and the return of more than $800,000 in unused taxpayer money for vocational instruction to the federal government.
Former staffer Robert Eccles stated in a letter to state officials that Choudhury had a “pattern of verbal bashing and diminishing others in the presence of staff members,” according to The Washington Post.
Maryland State Board of Education President Clarence Crawford and Vice President Susan Getty, however, commended Choudhury’s work as “excellent,” per The Post. They also claimed to have investigated and rejected accusations of a toxic work environment. Gail Bates, a former board member, also supported him, stating, “Anytime you try to get some kind of outcomes, you’re going to ruffle some feathers.”
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore told reporters in September 2023 that he was not satisfied with Choudhury’s results.
“I want to make sure that our kids are getting everything that they need and everything that they deserve in order to be successful for the long term. And right now, the results we’re seeing are not satisfactory,” Moore said, according to Maryland Matters.
Choudhury resigned the next month and became a senior adviser for the Maryland State Board of Education, reported Maryland Matters.
The Dallas Express contacted Ramsey, Choudhury, and the president of the Fort Worth ISD school board, Camille Rodriguez, for comment but did not receive a response by publication.