We Can, and Must, Do Better

Posted on March 24, 2024March 24, 2024 by Jenny

I was born and raised on the lower Eastern Shore of Maryland, attending Worcester County public schools. Worcester County is rural and working class, with a median household income that is roughly half that of my current home of Howard County. More than half of Worcester County’s student population county-wide receives free and reduced-price meals. Thirty years ago, Worcester County public schools had modest offerings. My high school offered only five AP classes. There was no orchestra, only...

Kids’ Lives are at Stake in the Board of Education Race.

Posted on May 16, 2022May 16, 2022 by Jenny

"One of the charges thrown against the book was that it promoted pedophilia — based on a single panel depicting an erotic ancient Greek vase. Others simply called it pornography, a common accusation against work with themes of queer sexuality. Queer youth are often forced to look outside their own homes, and outside the education system, to find information on who they are. Removing or restricting queer books in libraries and schools is like cutting a lifeline for queer youth, who might not yet...

Disenfranchising the Students

Posted on December 18, 2020December 18, 2020 by Jenny

Buckle up, folks; I'm feeling salty tonight. Why? Because this controversy over the Howard County Student Member of the Board of Education is getting on my last nerve. This week, Howard County parents Kimberly Ford and Traci Spiegel filed a lawsuit to challenge the SMOB's voting rights. As I've explained in great detail before, the SMOB, Zach Koung, is authorized by law to vote on Board of Education motions with some exceptions. Because a recent vote on school reopening did not give Ms. ...

The SMOB vs. the Mob

Posted on November 18, 2020November 18, 2020 by Jenny

This week, the Howard County Board of Education held a work session to discuss hybrid learning models for the second semester of the 2020-2021 school year. After a long and arduous discussion that illustrates the quagmire that is making education decisions in a pandemic that is worsening by the day, the board voted to maintain a virtual learning model in the third quarter of the school year with the option to bring small groups into school buildings for in-person learning. Five board members ...

Update: (River Hill) Money (Still) Makes the World Go ‘Round

Posted on October 24, 2020October 28, 2020 by Jenny

I wrote back in late August that of the $167,000 raised thus far by Board of Education candidates and PACs in the 2020 election cycle, roughly half of it has come from a single high school catchment area - River Hill High School. I surmised that River Hill was putting its financial might into a slate of anti-redistricting candidates. Another round of campaign finance reports are out as of yesterday, and that story hasn't changed. Except that the numbers have become even more mind-boggling....