Corrections from print:
- Mooney is currently an Assistant Principal at Blake HS, not at Einstein HS
- Mooney was found “not liable” for defamation. “Not guilty” is reserved for criminal charges
On July 29, Dr. Shelton Mooney voluntarily stepped down as principal of Bethesda Chevy Chase High School, citing it in an email to the community as a “personal decision.” Mooney spent six years as principal of B-CC and is now an Assistant Principal at Blake High School.
Mooney’s decision to step down came six days after a Montgomery County Circuit Court jury found the Montgomery County School Board liable for more than $500,000 in a defamation lawsuit brought by former B-CC English and Health teacher, Daniel Engler. Dr. Mooney, who was also named in the charges of false accusations of racism, was found not liable.
During his tenure at B-CC, Mooney led the community through multiple serious incidents related to school safety. Two of those incidents involved the threat of gun violence during the 2024-2025 school year. In the aftermath, Mooney faced backlash from community members about his communication and leadership through the crises. However, some students say the backlash against Mooney was unjustified. Junior Avi Klein said, “I thought he was a good principal. I didn’t think he did anything wrong…”
In a March 18, 2025 article, The Tattler Editorial Team published an article online reporting on several days of speculation and uncertainty surrounding rumors of Mooney’s potential termination as a result of this backlash, which culminated in a staff meeting that was held by Mooney alongside Dr. Peter Moran on March 17. During that meeting, Dr. Mooney stated: “I was never told I would be terminated and was not asked to resign as principal at B-CC. However, I did have a meeting with the Superintendent and the Chief of Schools [Moran] about communication and the sense of urgency in the supervision/monitoring of school operations.”
In his announcement to the community, Dr. Mooney said: “The past six years have been filled with celebrations, changes, and challenges…it has been an honor to lead this remarkable community through all of them.” Dr. Mooney has not responded to The Tattler’s request for comment.
