Many candidates for governor have presented detailed education platforms, reflecting the reality of state-level education control and the fact that they could influence the shape of education in the state. Candidates for Congress have a different focus; their involvement with education has more to do with federal opportunities for funding of education programs.
The primary election is scheduled for Tuesday, July 19. Only residents who have registered their political party preference are eligible to vote, and they may only vote for their party’s candidates. Thus, Democrats may only vote for Democratic candidates and Republicans only for Republican candidates.
Governor/Lieutenant Governor
Dan Cox + Gordana Schifanelli — Republican
http://www.dancoxforgovernor.com
Cox is opposed to "Critical Race Theory," calling it "Marxist propaganda." He is against "gender identity indoctrination" in our schools. He supports parental rights in the classroom and is against what he calls the bloated bureaucracy state public school “Superboard.” He wants the state government to increase school choice and charter schools.
Robin Ficker + LeRoy F. Yegge, Jr. — Republican
http://www.cutmdsalestax2cents.com
Ficker's sole policy commitment is to sponsor a yearly reading contest in which "every classroom in the state will send a student who has read the most books in a year."
Kelly Schulz + Jeff Woolford — Republican
http://www.kellyschulzforgovernor.com
A proponent of parental rights, Schulz is outspoken about education and the failings of public education in Maryland. As governor, she promises to champion a “Parental Bill of Rights” to empower parents to be involved in their children’s education, and to make sure schools are accountable to parents. She also wants Maryland to introduce new and innovative solutions such as P-TECH schools, where students earn a high school diploma, an industry-recognized associate’s degree, and gain relevant work experience in a growing field.
Schulz believes that neighborhood location should not determine education quality. Her solution is school choice, public charter schools, and “record funding for our schools.” However, she has hedged her answers when asked about funding the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future.
Joe Werner + Minh Thanh Luong — Republican
http://www.wernerformaryland.com
Werner believes that families should have the opportunity to choose to enroll in charter schools instead of public schools. He feels charter schools provide a “more effective” education.
Rushern Baker III + Nancy Navarro — Democrat
Rushern Baker III suspended his race for governor on June 10.
Jon Baron + Natalie Williams — Democrat
From his website:
“As governor, I would bring a bold approach to improving K-12 education by funding programs tested and shown to improve student outcomes and reduce racial and income achievement gaps. My education plan will:
Peter Franchot + Monique Anderson-Walker — Democrat
A major platform for Franchot is to improve educational outcomes for all Marylanders. Some details from the campaign website:
Douglas F. Gansler + Candace Hollingsworth — Democrat
http://www.ganslerformaryland.com
“As governor, I will ensure full, timely implementation of the Blueprint, add school resource officers, and take actions to increase student achievement and wellness.” Gansler has pledged “to provide affordable childcare and universal Pre-K for every Maryland family so no parent has to choose between caring for their children and pursuing a career of their dreams.” He recognizes the challenges that still exist due to covid. (Vote411.org)
Ralph W. Jaffe + Mark Greben — Democrat
http://www.fedupwithcrookedpolitics.com
Jaffe pledges to attempt to abolish the Maryland State Department of Education because he feels that the counties should control their own educational philosophies.
Ashwani Jain + LaTrece Hawkins Lytes — Democrat
http://www.jainforgovernor.com
Jain has many ideas for how to improve education and public schools on his website. Among them:
John King + Michelle Daugherty Siri — Democrat
http://www.johnkingforGovernor.com
Because King is a lifelong educator and former U.S. Secretary of Education, it’s no surprise that he has many detailed plans for addressing education challenges on his campaign website, including to:
Wes Moore + Aruna Miller — Democrat
Moore’s guiding philosophy is “no matter your start in life, you deserve an equal opportunity to succeed – a job you can raise a family on, a future you can look forward to.” Education is a large part of this philosophy, and on his website there are detailed plans and pledges to achieve the following goals:
Tom Perez + Shannon Sneed — Democrat
Perez states that he “believes in access to a quality, equitable education” for all Marylanders. His education platform includes:
Jerome M. Segal + Justinian M. Dispenza — Democrat
http://www.segalforgovernor.org
Segal is a former professor of education philosophy. His education platform includes:
Congress 1st District
Andrew P. Harris — Republican — incumbent
Harris states on his campaign website that “education is the cornerstone of every child’s development and the foundation of our future economic success as a country.” He advocates for:
R. David Harden — Democrat
http://www.hardenforcongress.com
From Harden’s website: “I will advocate for and work to strengthen our public education system, including our early childhood programs. I support universal public pre-kindergarten, free and nutritious school lunches for every student, equitable funding for schools in historically underserved communities, and strategic investment into modernizing school infrastructure. For those who attend two and four-year colleges, we must ensure that they are not saddled with excessive debt when they graduate and enter the workforce.”
Heather R. Mizeur — Democrat
Mizeur’s education platform is geared toward job skills training. Her 10-point EconomyFirst plan includes a section on 21st century skills: workforce education and training. She stresses the need to teach the job skills that match employer needs. Her plans include advancing career and technical education opportunities and establishing robust and accredited apprenticeship programs. She says: “I am dedicated to appointing a member of our future congressional staff team to oversee and coordinate implementation and oversight of Maryland’s CTE plan and other regional workforce development issues in the First District, including targeting federal funding opportunities to advance these goals,” through $1.3 billion annually in state formula grants awarded through the federal Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act. On apprenticeship, Mizeur explains, “There are federal resources available for apprenticeship expansion and innovation and I envision bringing stakeholders together to apply for available grants and help our region successfully compete for these funds. The U.S. Department of Labor has devoted $113 million for its Apprenticeship Building America (ABA) Grant Program for this fiscal year alone.”
Jim Block taught English at Northfield Mount Hermon, a boarding school in Western Mass. He coached cross-country, and advised the newspaper and the debate society there. He taught at Marlborough College in England and Robert College in Istanbul. He and his wife retired to Chestertown, Md. in 2014.
Jan Plotczyk spent 25 years as a survey and education statistician with the federal government, at the Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics. She retired to Rock Hall.
Title image: Pond at Pickering Creek Audubon Center, Talbot Co. Photo: Jan Plotczyk