The principal at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School has stepped down from his role.
It comes after years of safety concerns from the school community.
What we know:
After six years as principal, Shelton Mooney is leaving Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School.
While Mooney did have support from some parents, there was also a group that didn’t think he was fit for the role and was calling for change.
"I think the school at this point is deserving of a reset," said Lyric Winik, the PTSA President at BCC while her sons were attending the high school, 2020-2023.
She has first hand experience of the chalenges the school has been dealing with over the years with Mooney as its leader.
"B-CC in particular suffered from a lot of safety challenges, mental health challenges among the students," Winik said.
She says there were bomb threats, weapons found on campus, fights at school and a number of lockdowns--just a few of the incidents that FOX 5 has covered at the high school.
Dig deeper:
Early this year, a group of B-CC students were seen on camera fighting at a park nearby before one of them , forcing the school to go on lockdown.
"The number of students that have tragically ended up incarcerated for poor decisions that have been made really necessitates something to change dramatically at the school and build a better community," Winik said.
In a letter to the school community, Mooney said that "this is my personal decision," and he goes on to say his time has "been filled with celebrations, changes, and challenges—and it has been an honor to lead this remarkable community through all of them."
Montgomery County Public Schools added that this decision is "in the best interest of the school community."
What they're saying:
Winik told FOX 5 she wishes Mooney well but also has a message for the central office.
"I hope this will be a lesson for the MCPS for the entire system to rethink how it operates, what it prioritizes and how it makes the most of human capital and does the most for our students who really deserve it and our teachers who are on the front lines and not getting the help they need," she said.
MCPS told FOX 5 that Mooney is heading to Blake High School where he will be the assistant principal annd retired principal Kevin Yates, will serve as acting principal here at B-CC effective Aug.12.