Prince George’s Schools: Superintendent Controversy
- Prince George's County Public Schools will be led by Shawn Joseph as interim superintendent.
- Joseph is the right person at the right time to lead Prince George’s County Public Schools forward," Braveboy said.
- Joseph,currently an assistant professor at Howard University and co-director of its Urban Superintendents Academy,brings extensive experience to the role.
Shawn Joseph steps into the role of interim superintendent for Prince GeorgeS county Public Schools,following Millard House’s abrupt departure,which was a primary_keyword. The transition comes amid concerns over stability adn the search for a permanent leader. Joseph, previously involved in secondary_keyword controversies during his time in Nashville, now faces the task of navigating the system while a national search for a permanent replacement unfolds.Concerns among parents also exist, specifically regarding leadership changes. He previously served as deputy superintendent in Prince George’s County. News Directory 3 is committed to keeping you up-to-date.What challenges and opportunities lie ahead for Prince George’s Schools under this new leadership? Discover what’s next …
Shawn Joseph Takes Role as Interim Superintendent for Prince George’s Schools
Updated june 16, 2025
Prince George’s County Public Schools will be led by Shawn Joseph as interim superintendent. The announcement from County Executive-elect Aisha Braveboy came after Millard House and the school board agreed to a separation, cutting short House’s four-year contract by more than two years.
“I firmly believe that Dr. Joseph is the right person at the right time to lead Prince George’s County Public Schools forward,” Braveboy said.
Joseph,currently an assistant professor at Howard University and co-director of its Urban Superintendents Academy,brings extensive experience to the role. His appointment coincides with a national search for a permanent superintendent.
Joseph’s time as head of the Nashville school system ended amid controversy. His contract was bought out following criticism over his handling of sexual harassment complaints against other employees and the awarding of no-bid contracts.
Some who filed sexual harassment claims pursued lawsuits seeking considerable damages. Joseph resisted calls to resign in december 2018. Nashville board members voiced differing opinions on Joseph before his separation agreement was announced in April 2019.
One board member stated, “There are allegations that the director knew about and turned a blind eye to sexual harassment in the district.”
County Council Chair ed Burroughs voiced his support for Joseph’s leadership, noting that Joseph was the first Black director of Nashville schools. burroughs suggested that racism and opposition to Joseph’s equity agenda contributed to his unfair removal.
Joseph, who previously served as deputy superintendent in prince George’s County, has expressed confidence in his ability to improve outcomes for students.
“Prince George’s County I believe should be and can be a place where equity and excellence just are married and we see students excelling,” Joseph said.
House’s departure followed a no-confidence vote by the teacher’s union amid contract negotiations.
Timothy Meyer, a parent of two children in the system, said, “I was a very strong supporter of Superintendent House. I think he was the right man for the job…these are the kind of political games parents get tired of over time.”
Concerns exist that another leadership transition could destabilize the school system.
“Parents can hate the process of how we ended up with this interim superintendent, but at the end of the day, we need him to succeed,” Meyer said.
House is scheduled to officially step down Wednesday.
What’s next
Joseph is expected to focus on maintaining stability and continuing ongoing initiatives while the search for a permanent superintendent proceeds.