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Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Madaleno: Bill is "opening the door for a discussion"

Really, Senator Madaleno? 
A Bill is to make a law. 
This Bill is designed to begin the process of changing the Maryland State Constitution and taking away the right to a free public education for Maryland students. Shouldn't the public "discussion" come before the Bill is proposed, not after? 
Nothing that Senator Madaleno has put in writing speaks to magnets, immersion or vocational programs. What Senator Madaleno is doing is attempting to "open the door" for public school systems to charge students fees for access to public school in Maryland.
Who exactly did Senator Madaleno have "conversations" with in the school system? Can anyone in the school system just talk to a legislator and get a Bill submitted? Whose interests are represented by this Bill? 
Let's start this "discussion" with factual information, who wants this Bill passed? 

Gazette: Bill would let schools charge magnet students for their transportation

Tami Abramowitz, of Olney, relies on the school system to transport her daughter, Hayley, to Rockville, where Hayley attends the Richard Montgomery High School International Baccalaureate program...
...Abramowitz said the bill would allow the school system to take advantage of parents whose students depend on magnet programs. Since some students need magnet programs to succeed academically, she argued, transportation for those programs should be part of a free public education required by law.
"They're trying to nickel and dime the parents," she said...
...Madaleno said school officials did not ask for the bill, but added that he had conversations with school officials about the situation as well as parents of students in magnet and other programs.
"You're only opening the door for a discussion," he said Monday...

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