Harford County Board of Education member Don Osman will not seek a second term, he announced at the board’s meeting Monday.
Osman made the announcement early in the meeting during the board comment session. He did not publicly state a reason for his decision.
Osman’s current term is set to expire June 30. He was appointed to the board in 2009, according to the Harford County Public Schools Web site. Along with the seat of Board President Mark Wolkow, Gov. Martin O’Malley will now have two appointments to make to the board by July 1.
The loss of Mr. Osman will be a real blow to the school board. He knew our schools and the people who worked in them. It was obvious that he really cared about the kids and the teachers. He was always thoughtful in his comments during meetings. And after watching the last school board meeting he showed his leadership by joining other board members by standing up to Tomback, Lawrence, Wolkow and company. I only hope the soon to be seated new board members can do the same.
I am utterly heartbroken by the loss of Don Osman as a member of the school board. Never has there been a more caring and involved member of the board … problem was, every effort Mr. Osman made in attempts to “serve” the board and HCPS was shunned and denigrated by the sitting board members. The man who started the S.M.I.L.E.S. program at Havre de Grace High School was actually requested to stop going into the school at which he taught for over 20 years (30?). To what means would someone say that it was inappropriate for a school board member to enter any school in the county (he visited most of them in an effort to personally see for himself what the conditions were in each school)? I know that Mr. Osman will never stop being a teacher…a much beloved teacher. He just won’t be serving the students of HCPS. And I don’t blame him. Now, OweMalley can insert another one of his “Alinsky-ites” into the HCPS system. hurrah.
Mr. Osman will be missed on the school board. It is too bad he will not be there to support new board members like Frisch and Grambo (elected members) who appear willing to step forward and challenge Tomback and Wolkow. Finally when it seemed that Osman was going to get some help he is stepping down. Lets hope there will be a few Osman types among the newly appointed board members. The public hasn’t noticed yet but this school system is in trouble. And the source of that trouble is directly attributable to Tomback, Lawrence, and the indifference or inability to recognize the problems by certain school board members. Others in the know,both inside and outside the school system, are already aware. Lets hope the new school members learn fast, support Frisch and Grambo, and move quickly to save our school system from further harm.