‘Tis, of course, endorsement season.
When I first launched this blog, way back in the Beforetimes
of 2014, I decided to issue endorsements (in part) to deconstruct the meaning of
an endorsement in an evolving media landscape.
I thought it might be an interesting way to lampshade the increasingly
important role of blogs as information delivery vehicles/conversation drivers;
particularly those blogs that cover local politics and public affairs at a time
when local journalism is, shall we say, hurting.
On a less meta note, I also wanted to use the platform to
support candidates I liked.
Which brings me to today’s post. With the Primary Election slightly more than
two months away, I wanted to go on record with my support for three candidates
for the Howard County Board of Education:
Sabina Taj
Jen Mallo
Robert Miller
With the Board on the precipice of losing a great deal of
institutional knowledge (with all of the incumbents up this cycle choosing to
not seek re-election…or election in the case of the one appointed member),
Howard County needs to elect Board of Education members who are thoughtful and
experienced community leaders who have demonstrated their knowledge of
education issues, their deep understanding of the Howard County Public School
System (HCPSS), and their ability to work with a variety of stakeholders to
achieve real-world outcomes that benefit our schools.
Of the 13 candidates vying to finish in the top eight in the
June Primary and in the top four (and thus secure election) in the November
General, I believe the three aforementioned candidates…Taj, Mallo, and Miller…are
the best of the field and offer impressive talents and informed perspectives
that would serve our schools, and the County as a whole, extremely well.
Sabina Taj has a long and distinguished history working on
education issues. Her Foundation work has
given her first-hand knowledge of K – 12 education best practices and creative,
thoughtful solutions from across the country.
To build upon the strengths of our schools, we need an influx of new
ideas and Taj can offer fresh perspectives.
Furthermore, Taj has a great deal of hands-on Howard County education
experience, including being an Adjunct Professor at Howard Community College, a
member of the Board of Education’s Operating Budget Review Committee, and as a
member of the executive board of an elementary school PTA. Finally, her positions on priorities as
reported in a candidate questionnaire she recently filled out… “healthy
schools, healthy students…community representation…[and] educational equity”
are all highly salient and well-aligned with critical community needs.
Jen Mallo has impressive education advocacy
credentials. A former Chair and Vice
Chair of the Community Advisory Council, a PTA and Boosters leader, and a
highly engaged volunteer, Mallo has not only been a committed advocate for
teachers, staff, and students…she has also had the opportunity to examine,
in-depth, HCPSS practices, procedures, and systems. Now is not the time to elect candidates who
require training wheels. Like Taj, I
believe Mallo is ready to be an excellent Board of Education member on Day One
of the job. They possess the right
knowledge and the ability to ask the right (and tough) questions. Moreover, Mallo’s stated positions on
priorities including “fiscal responsibility…teacher empowerment…[and] equity” reflect
not only critical structural needs but also an analytic approach to problem
solving. The Board of Education, bearing
in mind the fiscal challenges faced by HCPSS, needs members with such analytic
skills.
I have already written about, and announced my support for
Robert Miller previously. So I will keep
this short. Miller is a reflective educator who spent 34 years in the
classroom. Miller has a deep
understanding of effective teaching strategies and ideas on how to promote the
best educational environment. His voice in policy debates will be a vital one.
His stated positions on priorities such finding ways to increase the time spent
on quality instruction, on improving the atmosphere and communications
involving parents and teachers, and on preparing our students to be well-rounded
citizens through increased social and emotional learning are all ideas
deserving of an advocate at the Board-level.
Will there be a fourth BoE endorsement? Possibly but these three candidates have my full support. I encourage all Howard County voters to cast
their ballots for Sabina Taj, Jen Mallo, and Robert Miller for the Board of Education in the upcoming June Primary Election.
In solidarity.
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