A Montgomery County high school principal accused of potential trademark, copyright and unfair business practice claims for his moonlighting work as an educational consultant has been promoted to a new position training school administrators.
Moreno “Mo” Carrasco, principal of Rockville’s Richard Montgomery High School since 2003, “has a lot of skills as a trainer, and we’ll tap into those in this position,” said Brian Edwards, spokesman for district Superintendent Jerry Weast. Edwards said the move is a lateral one on the district’s payscale.
As Carrasco makes his transition, lawyers for Breakthrough Coach, a Florida-based leadership consulting company previously used by the district, continue an investigation into his now-defunct business, which operated under the name Breakthrough Principal.
An Examiner investigation earlier in the spring revealed Carrasco was selling his “breakthough” training sessions, with similarities in style and content to those of the Breakthrough Coach, to districts around the region for up to $10,000.
Carrasco shut down his company’s Web site within minutes of an April phone conversation with an Examiner reporter about his business, saying he was no longer pursuing it. Jonathon Drimmer, D.C.-based lawyer for Breakthrough Coach, said he has no comment on the school district’s decision to promote Carrasco, but added that an investigation is ongoing.
“We are continuing to gather and evaluate evidence, and our case only gets stronger the more that we see,” Drimmer said.
Astatement released by the district Tuesday afternoon said allegations against Carrasco were “thoroughly investigated and the allegations were not substantiated.”
Weast’s spokesman Edwards said the investigation was conducted through the human resources department and “did not focus on the content of legal issues between [Carrasco] and the other company,” adding the matters of legality between Carrasco and the Breakthrough Coach are “not a matter for [the district].”
Carrasco said the central office position is one he’s “been wanting for years,” adding it’s a “great match for [his] skills and abilities.”
