’s County School Board
Delegate Marvin E. Holmes, Jr., 2nd Vice Chair
Prince George’s County Delegation
Another unscheduled resignation of a Prince George’s County school system CEO has a lot of residence beginning to focus on our school system by asking the question… what’s next. What is the next step for our school system, our School Board, and most importantly how do we get 136,000 children properly educated and prepared for today’s workforce or prepared for college entrance exams. The educational system in Prince George’s County is important to every citizen within this county whether you have a child in the system or not. Our economic development is very closely tied to the educational achievements of our school system. An example of this explains why the biotech corridor is located in Montgomery County where an employer assumes he can most easily get access to qualified and trained employees.
Four years ago, prior to my election to the General Assembly, a law was passed to eliminate the elected School Board and replaced it with an appointed School Board. This appointed School Board is very different than that of the previous elected School Board in many ways. One major difference is the roles and responsibilities of each individual School Board member.
Voters in a specific district elected the previous Board member to represent their district. This representative government method is similar to a County Councilman, or a State Delegate like myself. The present Board was selected because of their professional qualifications to problem solve or for their systematic managerial experience, and not as a representative of a specific group of citizens. Based upon expertise and experience, each was assigned a domain or department of responsibility. This is task-oriented management without fear of voter’s responsiveness.
The legislation enacted four years ago also required that an elected Board replace the current appointed Board in 2007. We are, therefore, going to have elections for School Board representatives during the 2006 elections. As citizens we must get involved and be proactive.
We must seek candidates that are not interested in the political aspects of being an elected School Board member but are solely interested in the governance of the school system. We must select highly professional energetic School Board members elected by the people and committed to educating our children.
We should also encourage some of the present appointed School Board members to pursue elected positions. Intellectual history is an invaluable tool and should be considered an indispensable commodity. Our children deserve this continuity. Some of our current Board members are very effective, and can provide continuity to governing our school system.
In 2006 the General Assembly will determine the structure of the new elected School Board. Should we have nine single-member districts that mirror the councilmanic districts? Should we have seven single-member district representatives and two at-large members? Or should we adhere to the legislation passed four years ago that would require a countywide ballot to elect all nine School Board members. Four seats will represent Prince George’s County at-large, and five members will represent single-member districts. All nine candidates would have to run a campaign countywide, however.
Beginning in November the Prince George’s County Delegation will begin public hearings on proposed legislation for the January 2006 session, including any proposed changes to the School Board. Proposed legislation must be submitted by September if it is to be on the public hearing agenda, and typically no bill is passed without having a public hearing. Why is this information important? Because I must hear from you NOW! If you have suggestions on the composition of our School Board the time to act is now.
I was elected to represent you. Please allow me the benefit of hearing from you. And finally, thank you for allowing me the honor of representing you in Annapolis.
District Office:
Honorable Marvin E. Holmes, Jr.
Legislative District 23-B
13215 Burleigh Street
Kettering, Maryland 20774
Phone: 301-249-2602
fax: 301-249-2215
