Senate Delegation will meet to vote on a bill increasing the salary of
the Montgomery County Board of Education (MCPS). The following
senators should ALL be called AND e-mailed in opposition to any salary
increase. Please contact them today, February 6th (preferably), or
tomorrow morning, February7th:
Senator Jamie Raskin; jamie.raskin@senate.state.md.
410-841-3634 Senator Jennie Forehand 301-858-3134 /410-841-3134;
jennie.forehand@senate.state.
/ 410-841-3124; brian.frosh@senate.state.md.us
301-858-3169/410-841-3169; rob.garagiola@senate.state.md.
Nancy King 301-858-3686/410-841-3686; nancy.king@senate.state.md.us;
Senator Richard Madaleno 301-858-3137 / 410-841-3137;
richard.madaleno@senate.state.
301-858-3151/410-841-3151; roger.manno@senate.state.md.us
Karen Montgomery, 301-858-3625 / 410-841-3625;
karen.montgomery@senate.state.
Reasons why this is a terrible idea include the following: In this
tanked economy with tight budgetary constraints, no elected officials
should receive an increase in salary or compensation of any kind.
No government entity with the tarnished track record the MCPS Board
has should be rewarded until there is a change in how the MCPS Board
conducts its business and priorities reflect the best interests of and
benefits to students and taxpayers.
Problems include numerous violations of the open meetings law,
back-door secret deals trading a wonderful organic farm for another
soccer field (surely the schools have more important uses for that
money), and spending an exorbitant amount of money to expose MCPS
students to a host of toxins in artificial turf versus a less
expensive and safe and natural/organic sod purchased locally.
The lack of leadership on the Board has also thwarted concerted
efforts of students (The Young Activists Club in Takoma Park) and
their parents to have a school garden and farm fresh food prepared
onsite in the school kitchen. As a direct result of the Board’s
ignorance, at least one high school principal has destroyed class
gardens four years in a row; and another principal resisted efforts
for almost two years to permit students to plant a rain garden the
school was not even paying for.
Shame on any Montgomery County legislator who thinks a salary increase
is economically defensible for any appointed or elected official in
this economy and for such an ethically challenged Board.
Alyce Ortuzar, District 14
Oh please. Politicians scratch each others backs. I agree with what you are saying and there are more reasons that what you put out. But it'll be unanimous. There are so many people who just don't care about following these issues. Your voice is drowned out in the sea of apathy. Most people in this county couldn't name one person on the BOE. In fact I bet most couldn't name the County Executive and the politicians know it.
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