Bits of Stuff – Opinions by Clare Whitbeck

First Bit - If you haven't visited the Moakley Street Mansion (school system headquarters on Moakley Street in Leonardtown) recently, you might want to go while the 17 colorful, really big blue heron statues are surrounding the building.  The designs on the herons were prepared by students from schools in the County.  The results are a colorful delight to the eye and a reminder of why we need to make sure our school system and Board of Education provide the best opportunities we can afford for our talented children.

Second Bit - The Board of Education's Budget Advisory Committee found itself somewhat confused when Board President Cathy Allen came to their meeting the other night.  It seems that Board policy BDFA charges the Budget Advisory Committee with “identification of agenda items (study topics) to be proposed by the BAC to the Board of Education.”   At the same time, By-Laws of the Budget Advisory Committee say, “Annually, the BOE shall charge the BAC with issues to be addressed.”   I guess the Board needs to make up its mind what it wants and change either the By-laws or the policy.  Let this be a lesson, parents.  If you donut keep an eye on things by attending meetings and reading Board of Education material, this kind of confusion will go unchecked.

Third Bit - The School System has a lot of nerve telling the Chesapeake Public Charter School that their Educational Director must be hired by “the same process as for any teacher, any administrator in the system.”  After all, it was that process which hired the administrator who initiated the actions that resulted in “The Palko Problem,” the retirement of an experienced and highly qualified teacher after she was denied personal leave.  If the charter school is to succeed, it will need a better hiring process than that.

Fourth Bit - There were 30 arrests at Great Mills High School between August 25, 2004 and February 8, 2005.  That compares with 16 in the same period last year.  At the Safe Schools Task Force meeting, the school system and the Sheriff reported that they believe the increased number of arrests is the result of more stringent enforcement of the regulations, and was to be expected.  That may be so, but meanwhile, are there any adults who would be willing to serve as volunteer hall monitors at Great Mills?  Just call the school at 301-863-4001 and volunteer to help our high school students by serving as a hall monitor.

<>            Final Bit - At the February 9 Board meeting, it was disconcerting to see the budget come back from a request by the Board of Education that the School System find $50,000 to help fund health insurance for retirees with only $25,000 in the budget.  It was even more disconcerting to see the Board, with no public discussion vote 5 - 0 for the budget that contained that $25,000 in lieu of $50,000 . 
            There was a little discussion at the table at the last meeting.  Then the President said they would finish the discussion in the back room if it was legal.  Apparently they believe the discussion of budget amounts in the back room is legal, for they never completed the discussion in public.  This is the usual modus operandi for the Board of Education.   They meet in private and make the decisions, then come to the table and vote 5 - 0 unless Mary Washington is really unsatisfied with the results.  Then they vote 4 - 1.   It would be nice if the public could be told who the three were who created the 5 - 0 public vote during the back room discussion. 
            Did they violate the Open Meetings Law?  We'll never know.  They could have gone to the rest room 2 at a time and held their discussion until all Board members knew who would vote how.   At the prior  Board meeting, the discussion indicated that it was Kessler, Washington, and Raspa who seemed to favor the $50,000 payment for retirees and Allen and Mattingly who seemed opposed to including money for retirees.  Then the budget came out with $25,000 and the Board voted with no discussion.  I guess the Board of Education thinks we poor members of the public who have to elect them are not entitled to know where individual members actually stand on this issue.