WALDORF, Md. — A group of Charles County parents is calling for transparency and accountability after a kindergartner was initially identified as the student responsible for seriously injuring a classmate on the playground — an allegation her parents say is disproven by video evidence and eyewitness accounts.
The incident, which occurred in late spring, prompted school administrators to notify the child’s parents that they had reviewed surveillance footage and concluded their daughter was responsible. The school principal, vice principal and school resource officer were said to be involved in the review.
However, after the child’s parents were permitted to view the video, they disputed the school’s conclusion, stating the child shown was not their daughter. Despite their objections, they say administrators declined to formally clear the child’s name or acknowledge a potential misidentification.
In a follow-up letter, the school principal, in coordination with Charles County Public Schools’ central office, wrote:
“After a thorough review of all available information, it was determined that there is inconclusive evidence to support your child… being involved in the incident in question. As a result, no further action will be taken by the school moving forward.”
Parents say the statement did not go far enough.
“There is NOTHING inconclusive about the evidence,” one parent said. “It’s VERY conclusive that our child is not responsible. The administration has still failed to affirm the victim and her account, or accept accountability for the child who is responsible. There is clear video footage — footage we were not shown.”
According to the families involved, the victim initially told school officials that she recognized another classmate as the one who caused the injury. That student was later dismissed by the school, they said. However, both families later discovered that their children not only knew each other — they were friends.
Both families now question whether the school exercised sufficient supervision during recess and believe the situation may have been mishandled in an effort to avoid liability.
The victim’s parents also say that multiple children witnessed the incident and independently named the same student their daughter identified.
“One child even shared they’re afraid to play on certain equipment now because of fear of the child responsible,” the victim’s family added.
Although a town hall was held to address parent concerns, some attendees say district leaders deflected responsibility. Superintendent Maria Navarro, Chief of Schools Marvin Jones and Executive Director of Schools Jaime Coffen were expected to attend a parent-organized meeting — but several attendees allege they were silenced and escorted out before being given the opportunity to speak.
Email exchanges reviewed by The BayNet reveal parent concerns about delays, inconsistent communication and a lack of transparency. Some parents claim the school resource officer was excluded from the final review, even though their original report reportedly differed from the administration’s findings. Additionally, they allege they were shown a lower-quality version of the surveillance footage than what was later presented to the victim’s family.
“The administration has shown no regard for the trauma our families are experiencing,” one email reads. Another message accused school leadership of “prioritizing their own reputations over student safety.”
Parents say repeated requests for meetings with key school officials were denied or delayed — and that efforts to hold a joint meeting between the families involved were blocked, despite shared concerns about how the situation was handled.
The incident has sparked broader concern among Charles County families, some of whom point to what they describe as a pattern of inconsistent disciplinary enforcement, communication breakdowns and limited parent input in student-related investigations.
One parent has offered to share documentation, including email correspondence with the administration, the superintendent and the Education Association of Charles County. They also cite supporting materials such as two advocacy statements, relevant Maryland laws, a Parent Advocacy Group (PAG) survey summary and pages from the Charles County Student Code of Conduct.
These documents include concerns about policies that allow administrators to question students without a parent present — a practice parents argue has led to false accusations — and about perceived inconsistencies in how behavioral incidents are addressed.
Many of the families involved are now calling for an independent review of the incident and broader student safety procedures throughout the district.
Charles County Public Schools has not responded to requests for comment.
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