THE BALTIMORE BANNER
JANUARY 30, 2026
Three Maryland school systems do not regularly screen their job applicants, despite a state law requiring them to do so. That’s among the findings in a recent audit of the Maryland State Department of Education.
The routine fiscal compliance audit, done by a state committee, found that Maryland public schools should do more to prevent applicants with certain disciplinary records from getting in the door. It didn’t name the school districts that fell short, and education department officials declined to answer questions about the report. But schools in Baltimore, Harford and Montgomery counties have made headlines in recent years for missing red flags when hiring staff.
Last year, Pikesville High School’s former athletic director was convicted of impersonating the principal using artificial intelligence. Dazhon Darien is also now facing charges related to sexual exploitation of children in another matter. A Banner investigation in 2024 revealed he lied on his job application and had been fired from another school district.
Harford schools came under fire last year for hiring Lawrence Smith, a former Baltimore City Public Schools police officer and football coach who pleaded guilty in October to federal wire fraud and tax evasion. An investigation by the Maryland Office of the Inspector General for Education found that Harford officials “knew of the pending charges but failed to disqualify Smith due to teacher shortages.” Harford school officials have already started addressing issues identified in the report, a spokesperson wrote in an email.
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