Why won’t Delegate Mary-Dulany James just admit she opposes school board elections? If it’s because the Delegate from District 34A shares school board member Mark Wolkow’s dim view of democracy, she’s wise to keep her opinions to herself.
Clearly, Wolkow is working with someone in the State Legislature to craft an alternative to elections. Most likely it’s James – they’ve worked together on this issue in the past. But if Wolkow and James are planning a battle against the tide of public support for elections, they’ll need new ammunition.
That would explain why Delegate James put this question at the top of a recent survey of her constituents:
That isn’t a survey question. A survey question is: Do you support school board elections, yes or no? This is a push-poll contrived to gin up vague “concerns” about school board elections, as if elections were an unknown concept.
The effort fits neatly into Wolkow’s bizarre new assertion that the majority of voters oppose elections. Even though he testified in a State Senate hearing earlier this year that a referendum for elections would pass easily.
Anyway, isn’t Mary-Dulany James one of those “politicians who have to campaign and fundraise in order to be elected?” That means any concerns about elections would necessarily affix themselves to James and every other elected leader in the nation. Does she really want the voters scratching their heads over that one?
Delegate James ought to demand a refund from the political operative who concocted that boomerang of a question. The voters will surely see it for what it is.
But why would James put it out that way in the first place? A survey question is supposed to find out what people think. This one was rigged to make it appear that people think the way she does.
In 2003, Delegate James cast one of only two “no” votes in the 188-member General Assembly on a bill to put school board elections to a referendum in Cecil County. When the referendum was finally put to James’ Cecil County constituents, 87% of the voters approved elections. After an overwhelming result like that, could this survey be another of Delegate James’ questionable uses of taxpayer funds, especially if it’s an attempt to misrepresent public opinion?
Last year, a bill to bring elections to Harford County had the support of all 11 of Harford County’s senators and delegates, except for James. She sponsored competing legislation to create a school board nominating caucus. James testified that she only wanted to provide a fall-back in case the elected school board bill failed. Both bills died, but the scuttlebutt is James worked behind the scenes to kill the elected school board and then denied it.
With another General Assembly session just around the corner, results from this new push poll would allow Delegate James to claim constituent support as a cover for her ongoing fight against school board elections. Then it might be safe to bring her long held position into the light of day.
Those of us who want an elected School Board need to work much harder if we’re going to fight this nonsense. I would love to know why Mary Dulaney-James finds elected School Boards so repulsive. Clearly she has an issue. But if she has lived all her life in Harford County, how could she possibly know what a school board election even looks like. I would love to see a public forum to discuss this issue, like adults, to resolve whatever concerns the current board and Ms. Dulaney-James have. I’m sure there are plenty of people who now live in Harford County that have lived in districts with elected school boards. I for one would be happy to share my nearly 25 years of satifying experiences voting for school boards.
What a disgrace Ms. James Dulaney is! She is a big part of the reason we had the tax hikes and now she is trying to stop elected school boards? Really, what more could we ask for in an elected official–raise our taxes and take away our vote!
I’m not sure how Ms. Dulaney James thought she would get away with this one. Her guard is starting to slip.
I read in the paper last week that Angela Eaves was also hesitant about “campaigning” but she said that ultimately she learned a lot from it. I have heard every politician say that they won’t forgot the people that met along the way. Maybe it is true or maybe it isn’t but one of the reasons we need an elected school board is because they need to hear from people. The Board members who have been around the longest are the ones who especially need to talk to the people they are charged with representing without the “filter” of the administration. They seem to have forgotten what their job is and so many teachers have become fearful of speaking out because of the retribution.
If Mary Dulaney-James has so much disdain for the democratic process and elections, what is she doing in politics? Why should anyone elect a person who feels so strongly that elected officials are so prone to undue influence?
I think someone should write about this push to turn school board members into politicians. I haven’t heard this. I have heard about an elected school board…that can be fired if they do a crap job…or blocked from being hired if they are nuts. Mary makes a good point…THE ELECTED SCHOOL BOARD should have restrictions on campaigning to keep it non political. Its not political office…its citizen review…up or down.
Thanks Mary.
Ponder That !
GD!
So who is running against Mary-Delany James? I don’t live in her district, unfortunately.
The hell with the school board questions. The scariest part of this survey (besides not being anonymous) is question 3:
“The Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) will drastically impact our region in the coming years. In order to prepare for these changes to the fullest extent, where should the needed increase in revenue come from?
Sales tax increase
Surcharge on income above $200,000 a year
Increase in income tax
Slots
Expanded gasoline tax”
Hasn’t the current state government already imposed all of these measures against the citizens? Are we looking at a bigger tax increase?
School board elections are already non-partisan by law.
I would like to know what’s so awful about having candidates campaign among the people they aspire to serve. As Elaine says, it’s an opportunity for both the public and the candidates to discuss issues, kind of like this recent event in Carroll County:
http://www.gazette.net/stories/10232008/fredsch191608_32491.shtml
Unlike a nominating caucus where people have to come to a particular place at a certain time and vote to make a recommendation that the Governor may or may not follow, elections allow candidates to engage with interested members of the public over time and in a variety of ways. Elections empower voters who are able to cast a ballot any time on election day (or absentee).
People who work at night or who can’t attend a caucus meeting should not be excluded from the process. Mechanisms that are supposed to protect school board members from the horrors of elections make the voters jump through hoops instead. Who’s working for whom?
How about…more efficencey…less waste and a 1 percent cut in sales tax. On Long Island many communities give combat vets a major property tax break. This is now being expanded to “cold war” vets”,1945-1991 getting the same break.
This is stuff she may regret opening the door on.
I would like to see the full form answered here…to see how it matches her survey results.
Go Dagger !
I can’t help but wonder what the hidden agenda is for both Mary Dulany-James and Mark Wolkow. For someone who is so “passionate:” about kids and our school system it is obvious that they are not truly focused on our kids’best interests. If they were, they wouldn’t be participating in these political games…first Mr. Wolkow emailing the pastors in Edgewood, arguing his position for an appointed board and now this rigged “survey”.
Once again this is an insult to the taxpayers here in Harford County. I would very much like to see an article written about the merits and the cons of an elected school board from folks who have lived through this. Give the voters some credit and let us make up our own minds. For something that is not supposed to be political it appears to me that the appointed process is becoming even more political.
For crying out loud why can’t Ms James and Mr. Wolkow act like the adults they are supposed to be and make the decision that is best for their constituents..oops forgot Mark really is not representing voters. To be honest I think the more these two open up and discuss this issue, the easier they make the argument for an elected school board-
How does the Harford County teachers union feel about an elected school board? They may well have taken a position on it at some point. Anyone know?
The MSTA usually stays neutral (as should current board members) on the selection process, they prefer a straight elected board over a newer blended type.
I answering James Question she can interpret it as…people are concerned about politicizing of the school board…and therefore don’t want an elected board. That question is kafur!
Whats needed is one more question…how concerned are you about this kind of question? I think this type of question will damage her.
Go Dagger !
Steve…
As for taxes…do you support a excise tax on OUT OF STATE Marina users….considering the amount of money the state pours into our waterways in grants and costs…verses the amount of junk coming down river than out of staters enjoying the benefits of our cleaning up their mess from their state?
Go Dagger !
Richie,
To be honest, I’m not too keen on how marinas are run. Do out-of-staters rent/lease/own/whatever slips at the marina?
Who “owns” the marina? Is it the city, the county, the state?
The BOE creates a Legislative Platform each year to share their positions for the lawmakers in Annapolis. Generally, the positions are against unfunded state and federal mandates that will cost Harford County more money to implement than in the past, or for keeping local controls on creating and implementing educational policies.
In recent years, the platform has begun sharing an opinion on having an appointed vs. an elected Board.
To the credit of Board members Hess, Merrill, and Smilko, they voted to remove the new wording “THE HARFORD COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION SUPPORTS: Continued broad-based community input in developing Board nominees for appointment – whether by Caucus or Commission.” from the 2009 Platform. There has not been ANY community input in nominations in years! Councilman Slutzky’s attempt to bring some nominal degree of community input this past summer was totally ignored by the governor’s office. Unfortunately, the other 4 Board members (Wolkow and Rich, reappointed in 2007, and Wheeler and Krchnavy, appointed this year) thought differently, so this position statement stayed in the final document.
The entire document can be found at http://www.hcps.org/boe/docs/exhibits/2008-2009/10-20-2008/Item%20B%20-%20Legislative%20Platform.pdf
The 2009 HCPS Legislative Platform document begins:
The “2009 Legislative Program” is an integral component of an overall strategy in support of Harford County Public Schools’ goals. The goals are:
GOAL 1: Every child feels comfortable going to school.
GOAL 2: Every child achieves personal and academic growth.
GOAL 3: Every child benefits from accountable adults.
GOAL 4: Every child connects with great employees.
GOAL 5: Every child graduates ready to succeed.
Which goal # are they trying to protect? Number 3? Are elected officials not accountable?
from the past to the present, only one word seems to surface when Delegate Mary James is mentioned…****!
Steve…the marinas and waterways all receive a lot of money from the state. Channel maintenance, marina repair grants, pollution and nutrient monitoring and remediation (nutrients from Penna farm fields runoff). These folks could use the Delaware river or the small lakes, or maybe take up camping instead, along with its long commute and high prices…but use ours with Penna registered boats and no contribution, in fact less, than we in Md do.
In HdG people cant get a slip because the Penna boats are clogging the place.
No city anywhere allows out of town boats in its city dock for the same price if at all as local citizens. In this case Md residents. In Sag Harbor New York the locals use the city dock for 1100 a year while out of town (in our case it would be out of state ) residents pay the going price of 5 to 11 thousand dollars a year. I might add that these marinas are full to capacity even at those prices.
Go Dagger !
Currently HCEA membership has take a position of no position on an elected board.
The teachers union should be outraged that an opportunity to put an highly accomplished educator on the school board was thwarted behind the scenes. Who was worried about the influence she may have had on other board members? Perhaps she knew too much and there was fear that she would be able to speak very honestly about what is happening both in the classrooms and in the schools.
I thought I read somewhere that recent school-board appointee Krchnavy sought approval of her appointment from local elected officials. Isn’t that campaigning to those who may have influence in the outcome?
She didn’t need to campaign to me (or any other Harford County voter) because we couldn’t help her or hurt her. Since she wasn’t on the ballot, there was no article in the Aegis outlining her positions or qualifications. I’m not picking on Ms. Krchnavy, only the process.
You’re right, Elaine. The teacher’s union should be outraged–but yet, it’s another example of effective scare tactics employed by the board to bully just about everyone involved in HCPS. This “don’t you dare challenge me” mentality has trickled down into the teacher’s union as if most evident by the union’s position as one of no position
A teacher’s union—with no position on an elected school board?
I am a teacher and was told by the teacher’s union that I could not challenge an administrative decision–which directly involved my teaching position– because it is a battle I could not win. I was told I needed to move on.
While the union may have adopted this underlying mentality of political submission, I urge all the teachers and parents and every member of the community that it is not time to move on from this issue.
The people of Harford County want a say.
The people of Harford County want a voice.
The people of Harford County want a VOTE.
That’s great, Julia. I want a bumper sticker with that on it!
Well I guess Ms DJ was just placed in her position as a Rep of Harford County. She neither had to raise funds or be elected?????
How long are the people of Harford County going to allow people like Mary DJ and Mark Wolkow lie to us about the concerns of the citizens? I guess when you hold all the cards, in this case all the power, you can say whatever you like.
I am tired of being told what I want. We need to organize. If Mary DJ, Jackie Haas, Mark Wolkow and their cronies are allowed to continue to ramrod their political views down the throats of the citizens of Harford County yet again then the we are at fault. “Trick me once shame on you. Trick me twice shame on me.”
I’m detecting a little opposition to an elected school board…by reverse psychology. Rules can be placed and the question can be up or down. Elections and campaigns take many forms…but in lieu of the points against elected school boards I’M suggesting exploring the following.
We need a report card created for each board member…by a civilian review group with reps from each school consisting of parents, created on a running bassis. During the “replace or retain votes”, during the primary votes, this report card would be dragged out. If a person is voted for REPLACE their would be a county election for the new members. The new member could be nominated to run and have certain background requirements of ed and exp. Campaigning would be limited to equal time forums. Election would be during general election.
This is a rough Idea but addresses the concerns of those trying to not corrupt the saints running for school board by having to campaign.
An elected school board leads to accountability !
Go Dagger.
This MDJ’s modus operandi.
A few years ago she was the key vote to get the sales tax hike out of committee. Then she killed elected school boards at least twice in the assembly (that’s not a rumor at all). And last year she voted in favor of most of the O’Malley tax hikes.
Meanwhile, she’s never shown up at a single ECC/JCC or any local neighborhood meetings because it does not seem like she cares. She has a sense of entitlement to the legislative seat and it is a shame.
Will anyone dare challenge her?
Randy and HCEA,
I have a few questions and thoughts brought about by reading Kelly’s post and talking to friends who teach in other counties and areas: (Just curious)
1. Why has the HCEA not taken a stance on an Elected School Board?
2. Have they taken a stance on the CSSRP or considered some
recommendations based on the report?
3. I do not get why they have not at least suggested anything in regards to this?
– 60 minute periods?
– Is LICW working?
– Is semesterization of certain math, social studies and science courses
working?
It seems that should be the job of the Union, take a stance and make it public therefore you will get more teacher support (e-mail or pass around information to see how teachers feel and then support them.) It seems that the HCEA is too afraid to take a position because it may scare away some of the teachers it does have, which by not taking a position, it isn’t getting teachers it could get.
Then, it doesn’t seem to stand up to the Board or the Administration as Kelly had mentioned previously. That doesn’t inspire or tend to make teachers want to join, in fact I think in someways the information I presented above, leads to a bit of apathy. Sort of a feeling of, “Oh well, we can’t do anything. We are screwed and at the mercy of the Administration.”
I am sure behind closed doors a lot of discussion and work is done, but why not take positions or suggestions. Simply, what does HCEA stand for?
This may seem to be a negative post but it isn’t it is simply a thought and a question. Teachers from other areas always ask me, “What does your Union think about the block schedule? What position do they have on the other reforms?” The only thing I can say is I don’t know or they don’t take a position.
Maybe we should. Any thoughts?
I think that many teachers feel as I do: I don’t enjoy beating my head against the wall. It is very frustrating to get involved in something and have the decision go the other way time after time. It takes much less energy to go with the flow than to constantly be “battling city hall.” If you get the reputation of a trouble maker, it is not beneficial in the workplace. Don’t think that a principal can’t make your life miserable. The way decisions have been made since my children started in HCPS (13 years ago) has stayed the same. In general, the decisions are based on money and not what is good for students.
For example, it is a fact that teenagers stay up later and need to sleep later, yet our school board made their days start earlier because of buses. I am guessing that the block schedule makes it so that teachers teach six sections instead of five. That makes it so that they don’t need to hire as many teachers.
And this has been mentioned before but, in response to the semesterization of classes comment above, Bel Air HS kids in foreign languages got stuck this year. Last year (as juniors), a number of them took their third and fourth years of a foreign language so that they could take the AP level of the language as seniors. In May, it was announced that no AP language course would be offered this year. By that time, it was too late to register for the SAT II in a language or to just take the AP language exam (even though they had not had the class, if a student was a talented language student, he/she might still do well on the test–but not after a year of no language). The language issue was one argument for the block schedule because Bel Air Middle went to the language flex program when the current seniors were in 8th grade rather than offering the first year of a language. It was elitist to offer something to our best students according to the BAMS principal at the time.
Now, many people (obviously the BAHS principal) think oh who cares about foreign language study, but for our talented students, those interested in learning another language, and those who might be applying to some top-tier schools, language study is important.
Another measure of the semester-class success rate would be the calculus AP tests that students will take this spring. Those students who are in the BC Calculus took trig and pre-calc a semester each as tenth grade students. Only the very best math students would be in the BC class, but their test scores–both on last year’s AB Calculus and this year’s BC–should be an indication of how the math is working when it is taken quickly. Good luck getting those facts and figures out of HCPS.
Judy:
Great summation of the issues. Critics of certain areas of the school administration are labelled as “trouble makers” as you suggest. Teachers face retribution and Parents are just ignored as well. Board members however, always seem so intently interested in the 3 minute–one way comment session. I think it would be more genuine if they just turned around and faced the wall.
Happy Thanksgiving too all!
I see that no one responded to my thoughts or questions, which weren’t really aimed at just the HCEA or Randy, rather was thinking out loud. I really didn’t mean to be critical of either or be negative, I was just wondering myself why don’t they take official positions.
I suppose in looking at Carl’s and Judy’s post’s, I see how questioning of the new changes does tend to brand teachers as “trouble makers”, even if you are not. That is why I was wondering why the HCEA does not take any positions on certain topics. They represent the teachers therefore could question or push certain decisions, rather than teachers. I really mean no disrespect to the HCEA or Randy in my post, I was rather curious as to why certain things don’t seem to occur.
I agree that the Block Schedule was a way to have the teachers pick up more classes and teach more kids while paying them the same. That was a definite positive and will certainly be a reason for it to remain for a long time based on the economy.
I see semesterization as a positive in some content areas although in others it is not a positive. I have been told that the difficulty with many semester classes is that a teacher must simply go and go and go in order to finish the curriculum, therefore some of the more enrichment activities they were able to do over the course of a year that the students enjoyed, they can’t because of preparing them for the mid-term, final and HSA. The question I often hear as to why it is a semester in some curriculum areas is that it works best for the schedule. That is where a problem exists because the answer should be that is best for the students. The schedule shouldn’t dominate all class offerings and formats. I guess I am old school in thinking that the children, their education and needs should be the driving force when it comes to the schedule.
I guess that is why I am against the long classes. It is hard for students (especially special needs students) and teachers to stay engaged that long. I think you see some positive student reactions because they do tend to get time to complete homework, which is classwork and if they do not complete it, then it is homework. As only 4 periods, it also may seem shorter to the students, in that you suck it up for two and you are half way done for the day (easier to rationalize).
Thanks and the same to you RandS. Your earlier post does bring up very good questions, probably most people on this board wonder about. The HCPS administration however, appears to be very heavy handed when questioned about any issue. With the school world it seems to be retribution, with the public it seems to be a matter of what they view as our ignorance, ergo, just listen to us and ignore. Hopefully, someone from the HCEA has or will bring up the issues that you denote and transparency which is not happening now could be the process in the future. The board always touts communication but to date it has been a one way street. Hope all had a nice holiday—–I’m stuffed.
It would do well for all to take a look at the article in this morning”s Aegis. MDJ is quoted as usual using all the wrong stuff and horribly flawed logic. We really need to gang up on her and make her realize that her political future is at stake.
Ren and Stimpy–Your comment about doing what is good for kids really caught my eye because after our oldest child shifted to private school after ninth grade the biggest difference seemed to be in the what was good for kids factor.
It seemed to me that someone had done some research as to what was good for kids and that is what they followed. Kids have a decent amount of time to eat lunch. They have free periods that get freer as the kids get older and can handle more responsibility–so first study halls or free time in the building and then as seniors they can leave campus. High school students who are taking tough schedules need some down time during the day or time to work on homework or read. They take their semester tests before Christmas so Christmas break is Christmas break and they don’t have work or projects to complete. They may use the bathroom any time they need to–now that is a novel idea. The students go to school fewer days a year, but while they are in school they work. Students who are in the honors/AP classes have to be recommended for them, so you don’t have the kids who shouldn’t be in there wasting the teacher and other students’ time (mostly in the form of chatting and being discipline problems–it should be an honor to be in an honors class). And guess what? None of the things I mentioned cost anything.
Teachers teach four classes with fewer than 20 students, in contrast to public school where they teach five or six with 25 to 30. Writing is a big part of the curriculum because teachers have time to grade them. Teachers have to stay after school for 45 minutes so that they are accessible to students who need help. These things are all great, but they would cost $$$$.
I hate it that I feel as though we were forced out of HCPS by the board and administration’s poor decisions. But as long as the board is a rubber stamp for the administration, policies will not change. And as long as the board is annointed–oh appointed–the rubber stamp will stay.
MDJ is still running off of her deceased father’s good name. What ever happened to the case involving her and her husband allegedly getting robbed @ an ATM, and the robber being found not guilty? They were also the only two witnesses…..hmmmm.
Rich gone, Wolkow going, Krchnavy not likely to run for an elected seat (not sure she could win), Wheeler (ran for Council and was beaten badly by Slutski) may be a one term appointee – looks like those that stood against an elected board are slowly being weeded out.