Candidates and Education — A Guide to the Maryland Primary

Jim Block and Jan Plotczyk • July 5, 2022

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

http://www.rushernbaker.com

Rushern Baker III suspended his race for governor on June 10.

Jon Baron + Natalie Williams — Democrat

http://www.jonbaron.com

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:

Create a Statewide Tutoring Corps to provide high-quality tutoring to every struggling first and second grader in Maryland.
Expand Career Academy programs in high schools.
Expand high-quality public charter schools like KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program).
Offer “Learning Accounts” to low-income 10th graders, providing up to $10,000 in financial aid for college if they do well in high school.”

Peter Franchot + Monique Anderson-Walker — Democrat

http://www.franchot.com

A major platform for Franchot is to improve educational outcomes for all Marylanders. Some details from the campaign website:

Augment Maryland’s education system to provide a more comprehensive, fully-resourced model that equips students with the knowledge, skills, and self-confidence they need to thrive in the modern economy
Pilot innovative approaches to equipping high school students with real-world skills
Reduce standardized testing
Allow collective bargaining on classroom size
Push for fully elected local school boards
Ensure no school building suffers from mold, undrinkable water, or absence of climate control
Pilot an intergenerational child care program, utilizing Maryland’s seniors in the programming and oversight
Pilot fully debt-free paths to a vocation or college degree
Integrate union vocational training and apprenticeship programs into Maryland’s public high school system
Pilot various student loan debt forgiveness plans

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:

Fund the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future as a crucial step in addressing inequities in the state’s education system
Replace school resource officers (SROs) with mental health professionals
Expand broadband
Teach the history and prevalence of racism that still affects our society today
Ease student debt of educators; reduce student debt for all students
Make community college more affordable and accessible
Provide affordable housing for teachers and para-educators
Invest in trade schools
Invest in school construction
Increase access to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) programs
Provide universal Pre-K
Depend on performance-based assessments rather than standardized testing

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:

Build on Maryland’s Blueprint for Education
Ensure that public money goes to public schools
Recognize, support, and diversify Maryland’s educator workforce
Prepare all students for college and careers
Help all students learn and love to read
Ensure an education that reflects Maryland’s students and our nation’s history
Support and sustain a diverse educator workforce
Support covid recovery in the schools
Support early childhood education
Support higher education, HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), career readiness

Wes Moore + Aruna Miller — Democrat

http://www.wesmoore.com

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:

Ensure Maryland’s Blueprint for Education is fully funded and implemented
Support educators, para-educators, and education support professionals
Make childcare and early childhood education more affordable and accessible
Set students up for success
Tackle disrupted learning
Prioritize students’ social/emotional well-being
Combat the school-to-prison pipeline
Prepare students for good-paying jobs

Tom Perez + Shannon Sneed — Democrat

http://www.tomperez.com

Perez states that he “believes in access to a quality, equitable education” for all Marylanders. His education platform includes:

Fully funding the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future
Ensuring that our teachers are being paid fair and competitive wages
Increasing access to early childhood education
Funding school construction
Supporting educational equity
Fully funding HBCUs
Making community colleges and trade schools tuition-free for all students, including Dreamers
Expanding CTE (career and technical education) programs in high schools
Supporting and expanding pre-apprenticeship opportunities and registered apprenticeships
Building equitable digital infrastructure to close the digital divide, especially in rural and urban communities

Jerome M. Segal + Justinian M. Dispenza — Democrat

http://www.segalforgovernor.org

Segal is a former professor of education philosophy. His education platform includes:

Education for its own sake and for critical thinking to solve pressing problems — more history, arts, and humanities
Schooling having less to do with the job market, with more focus on history, the arts, the humanities, and civics

Congress 1st District

Andrew P. Harris — Republican — incumbent

http://www.andyharris.com

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:

More funding for public schools
Local control of schools
Jobs skills training in high schools
Addressing issues of higher education, including its affordability
Ensuring a simplified federal student aid application
Exploring solutions to the out-of-control student loan debts
Supporting students earning college credits from demonstrating knowledge they acquired and not just how many hours they spend in a classroom
Encouraging more federal support for funding internships and apprenticeships

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

http://www.heathermizeur.com

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.

< Older Post

Newer Post >

Mail

Common Sense for the Eastern Shore

Speak up for Eastern Neck and NWR System

By Friends of Eastern Neck Board of Directors • April 16, 2025

Let your elected representatives and business and cultural leaders know that our Refuge and others like it all over the country deserve to be protected. They deserve our stewardship for the natural wonders they shelter, and because they provide refuge for people, too.

Letter: These Republicans Are Right — Hogan is Responsible for Maryland’s Budget Deficit

By Elaine McNeil • April 9, 2025

The Budget Deficit In a recent debate on closing Maryland’s budget deficit, Minority Leader Jason Buckel, a Republican delegate from Allegany County, made an important point: “The man upstairs has only been there for two, three years. I don’t blame him for our economic failures of the last 10,” referring to Democratic Gov. Wes Moore, who was elected in 2022. Ahead of the 2026 gubernatorial elections, Buckel’s comments highlight a key reality that many of his Republican colleagues seldom admit: It isn’t right to blame Gov. Moore for a budget deficit that has been brewing for years. Now projected at $3.3 billion, Maryland’s structural deficit is a problem that started long before Moore took office. In fact, it was first projected in 2017, during the tenure of former GOP Gov. Larry Hogan. This isn’t an opinion — it’s a fact that Buckel and other lawmakers, including Republican Del. Jefferson Ghrist, have bravely acknowledged. During that same debate, Ghrist remarked that the Department of Legislative Services had warned about this deficit throughout Hogan’s administration, yet he did little to address it. Ghrist pointed out that during Maryland’s “good years,” when the state received a flood of federal covid-19 relief dollars, spending spiraled without regard for long-term fiscal health. Hogan used these one-time federal funds to support ongoing programs, which masked the true state of Maryland’s finances and created an illusion of fiscal stability. Hogan continues to take credit for the “surplus” Maryland had in 2022 — even though experts repeatedly note it was caused by the influx of federal dollars during the pandemic. As Ghrist correctly observed, the lack of fiscal restraint and slow growth during the Hogan years laid the groundwork for the $3.3 billion structural deficit the state faces today. Indeed, Maryland’s economy has been stagnant since 2017, especially in comparison to its neighboring states, well before Moore took office. Compounding these challenges are President Donald Trump’s reckless layoffs and trade wars with our allies. Thousands of federal workers who live in Maryland are losing their jobs, which will cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue. Trump’s tariffs will also put an enormous strain on local businesses, including Eastern Shore farmers, who are now subject to up to 15% retaliatory tariffs on chicken, wheat, soybeans, corn, fruits, and vegetables. FY2026 Budget Considering this grim reality, Maryland’s lawmakers are making difficult, but necessary, decisions to shore up the state’s finances. Gov. Moore and state legislative leaders recently agreed to a budget that prioritizes expanding Maryland’s economy without raising taxes on most residents. In fact, 94% of Marylanders should see either a tax cut or no change at all to their income tax bill under the proposed agreement. Lawmakers also plan to cut government spending by the largest amount in 16 years, while at the same time making targeted investments in emerging industries, such as quantum computing and aerospace defense, so the state is less dependent on federal jobs. While the richest Marylanders might see their income taxes go up, it’s reasonable to ask someone making over $750,000 a year to pay $1,800 more to support law enforcement, strengthen our schools, and grow our economy. As for the proposed tax on data and IT services, these products aren’t subject to Maryland’s sales tax under current law. Maryland leaders want to modernize our tax code by levying a 3% sales tax on these products. Because they don’t raise income taxes on the majority of Marylanders and because state leaders are also cutting spending by billions, these ideas are fair. They’re also necessary after Gov. Hogan chose to kick the can down the road instead of addressing Maryland’s long-predicted deficit and now that Trump’s policies will lay off thousands of Marylanders and his tariffs will hurt our state. By making responsible choices now, Maryland leaders are putting the state on a path to long-term economic stability. Their decisions will help Maryland thrive, create jobs, and invest in the vital services that every resident relies on — without burdening hardworking families. I’m confident Maryland will emerge stronger, more resilient, and ready to lead in the industries of tomorrow. Elaine McNeil is chair of the Queen Anne’s Democratic Central Committee.

Fighting the President’s Executive Orders

By John Christie • April 2, 2025

Among Donald Trump’s most recent targets is what he calls “rogue law firms.” At 6pm last Thursday, March 27, he issued an Executive Order (EO) aimed at my old law firm, WilmerHale, as one of those “rogue” firms. Approximately 15 hours later, the firm filed a 63-page complaint challenging the EO on multiple constitutional grounds. The EO is an “unprecedented assault on the bedrock principle that one should not be penalized for merely defending or prosecuting a lawsuit” and constitutes an “undisguised form of retaliation for representing clients and causes Trump disfavors.” And by 8pm on Friday, March 28, a little over 24 hours after the EO was first issued, a federal district court judge in Washington granted a request for a temporary restraining order, blocking key provisions of the EO from taking effect for now. In doing so, the Court found that “the retaliatory nature of the EO is clear from its face. There is no doubt that it chills speech and legal advocacy and qualifies as a constitutional harm.” The Executive Order The EO and a so-called “Fact Sheet” that went with it recites that the Administration is committed to addressing the significant risks associated with law firms, particularly so-called “Big Law” firms that engage in conduct detrimental to critical American interests. Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP (WilmerHale) is yet another law firm said to have abandoned the legal profession’s highest ideals and abused its pro bono practice by engaging in activities that “undermine justice and the interests of the United States.” The specific examples offered in support of this conclusion: The EO asserts that WilmerHale “engages in obvious partisan representations to achieve political ends,” an apparent reference to the firm’s representation of Trump’s political opponents — namely the Democratic National Committee and the presidential campaigns of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. The EO cites WilmerHale’s “egregious conduct” in “supporting efforts to discriminate on the basis of race,” an apparent reference to the firm’s representation of Harvard in the Students for Fair Admissions litigation. The EO accuses WilmerHale of “backing the obstruction of efforts to prevent illegal aliens from committing horrific crimes,” an apparent reference to the firm’s litigation related pro bono practice and successful challenges to immigration related policies. The EO accuses WilmerHale of “furthering the degradation of the quality of American elections,” an apparent reference to the film’s involvement in challenges to restrictive state voter-identification and voter-registration laws. The EO singles out certain current and former WilmerHale partners, including Robert Mueller, for special criticism by describing Mr. Mueller’s investigation as “one of the most partisan investigations in American history” and having “weaponized the prosecutorial power to suspend the democratic process and distort justice.” The EO then Revokes security clearances held by WilmerHale attorneys; Prohibits the federal government from hiring WilmerHale employees absent a special waiver; Orders a review and the possible termination of federal contracts with entities that do business with the firm; Calls for the withdrawal of government goods or services from the firm; and Calls for restrictions on the ability of WilmerHale employees to enter federal buildings (presumably including federal courthouses) and on their “engaging” with government employees. WilmerHale’s Complaint WilmerHale engaged Paul Clement, a former Solicitor General during the George W. Bush administration and a well-known advocate frequently representing conservative causes, to represent the firm in this matter. Assisted by some 15 WilmerHale litigators, the complaint names the Executive Office of the President and 48 other Departments, Commissions, and individual Officers in their official capacity as defendants. A variety of constitutional violations are alleged: The First Amendment protects the rights of WilmerHale and its clients to speak freely, and petition the courts and other government institutions without facing retaliation and discrimination by federal officials. The separation of powers limits the President’s role to enforcing the law and no statute or constitutional provision empowers him to unilaterally sanction WilmerHale in this manner. The EO flagrantly violates due process by imposing severe consequences without notice or an opportunity to be heard. The EO violates the right to counsel protected by the Fifth and Sixth Amendments and imposes unconstitutional conditions on federal contracts and expenditures. The complaint alleges that WilmerHale has already suffered irreparable damage in the 16 hours since the EO issued. The firm has been vilified by the most powerful person in the country as a “rogue law firm” that has “engaged in conduct detrimental to critical American interests. The EO will inevitable cause extensive, lasting damage to WilmerHale’s current and future business prospects. The harm to the firm’s reputation will negatively affect its ability to recruit and retain employees. Further Proceedings Temporary restraining orders constitute emergency relief upon a showing of likely success on the merits and irreparable harm were the temporary relief not entered. A later hearing will be held in order for the judge to determine whether a preliminary injunction should be issued preventing the government from executing the EO during the continued length of the litigation. Editorial Note: In light of the recent capitulation of several “Big Law” firms to the unreasonable and unconstitutional attacks by the Trump administration, WilmerHale is providing a blueprint for resistance as it fights back. More law firms need to be inspired by WilmerHale’s response to Trump’s demand for revenge on his so-called political enemies. John Christie was for many years a senior partner in a large Washington, D.C. law firm. He specialized in anti-trust litigation and developed a keen interest in the U.S. Supreme Court about which he lectures and writes.

Remembering Tom Timberman

By Bill Flook & CSES Staff • April 2, 2025

Tom Timberman was one of the founders of Common Sense for the Eastern Shore. Sadly, he died last month. He will be missed. Common Sense exists because of his leadership and inspiration. His vision was to provide factual and timely commentary and analysis on topics that concern people who live and work on Maryland's Eastern Shore, and to provide factual reporting to help readers shape their own lives. It was important to Tom, as it is today to the editorial board, for Common Sense to help voters to be aware of the effects — personal and local — of decisions made at the federal and state levels. Especially relevant now is this from our Mission Statement: “We seek an America responsive to its citizens and its constitution.” We reprint this tribute from Bill Flook, President of the Democratic Club of Kent County : Many of us were deeply saddened to learn of TomTimberman’s passing last week. It’s hard to believe that such a strong Democratic voice is gone. I worked with Tom for much of the past decade on many good projects promoting our values and activities, including helping on his campaign for County Commissioner, and I’ll particularly miss following his lead as Captain of the Dawn Patrol. Our group met most Saturday mornings for coffee and some good chat, before heading up to Dems HQ to set up the booth there. We’ll miss you, Tom!

The Truth About the FY2026 Md. Budget HB350

By Jared Schablein • April 2, 2025

After over 12 hours of debate over two days (and a whole circus from the other side), the Maryland House of Delegates has passed HB 350, this year's state budget, and sent it to the State Senate. This budget is a deal between House Democrats, Senate Democrats, and Governor Wes Moore. It faces our state's $3 billion deficit head-on not with fantasy math, but with real choices: smart cuts and fair new revenue. This is what grown-up governing looks like. How We Got Here: Maryland’s budget problems didn’t start overnight. Leaders began warning about a shortfall in 2017 when Governor Larry Hogan was in office. Hogan made our state budget bigger every year, but the legislature wasn’t allowed to move money around or make common-sense changes. By law, they could only make cuts. In 2020, Maryland voters changed that. Starting in 2023, lawmakers finally got full power to shape the budget, not just cut from it. Instead of fixing the problem, Governor Hogan used federal COVID relief to hide our fiscal instability. Then, before leaving office, he drained our state’s savings from $5.5 billion to $2.3 billion to boost his image. Today, we are facing a new fiscal arsonist. Donald Trump’s trade wars and cuts to federal programs hit Maryland hard. We have more federal jobs and agencies than any other state, so we felt it worse than most. A University of Maryland study says Trump’s tariffs alone could cost us $2 billion. Trump/Musk's policies caused over 30,000 people in Maryland to lose their jobs, offices to shut down, and promised investments to disappear. These federal cuts added another $300 million to our budget deficit. COVID relief gave us a short break and even created a fake surplus under Hogan, but that money is gone now. Meanwhile, housing, healthcare, and college prices have gone way up. The Trump–Musk White House is making it worse by cutting even more funding, eliminating research, and gutting the services we rely on. That’s why Maryland had to act. We needed a real plan to protect working people, fund our schools and hospitals, and keep our state strong. Why Cuts Were Needed Trump’s trade wars and cuts to federal agencies hit Maryland harder than any other state. A University of Maryland study says those tariffs alone could cost us $2 billion. That hurts real people: A chicken farmer on the Eastern Shore is paying 25% more for fertilizer. A dock worker in Baltimore has fewer ships to unload. A restaurant owner in Western Maryland can’t afford eggs and tomatoes. We’ve lost over 30,000 jobs. Offices have shut down. Promised investments disappeared. The decisions of the Trump/Musk administration added $300 million to our state deficit.

No, Mr. Trump, You Have No “Mandate”

By Jan Plotczyk • November 19, 2024

The 2024 presidential election was over swiftly. The Associated Press called it at 5:34 am on Nov. 6, and by 8 am, President-elect Donald Trump was crowing about the “ historic mandate ” given to him by the American people. A “mandate”? Turns out not. Trump jumped to an early lead on election night, but in the following days, his lead diminished as mail-in and provisional ballots were counted. A Baltimore Banner article on Nov. 6 highlighted the “Trump shift” that had occurred in every political subdivision in Maryland, even in counties where Democrat Kamala Harris won. This shift described the increase in Trump support since his loss to President Joe Biden in 2020 . As of Nov. 6, the biggest Trump shift was an 8.1% increase in his support in red Cecil County, but there were also shifts in the central Maryland counties that are the state’s Democratic strongholds — 4.3% in Montgomery and lesser amounts in other blue counties. Fourteen counties recorded shifts of 4% or more. On the Eastern Shore, every county had a shift over 4.5% except Talbot (2.7%), and the five largest shifts were Shore counties. For the state’s Democrats, it did not look encouraging. But as mail-in and provisional ballots were counted across the state, the Trump shift was reduced everywhere, and as of Nov. 16, disappeared altogether in Garrett (-1.2%) and Charles (-0.1%) counties. The shift dropped below 3% in all Maryland counties. Cecil’s shift became 2.1%. Montgomery’s shift dropped to 2.9%. Talbot’s shift declined to 0.2%, lowest of the Eastern Shore counties. Now, instead of five, only two of the highest five shifts were in Eastern Shore counties. The red bars in the chart below represent the Trump shift percentage values as of Nov. 16, in ascending order. The grey bars represent the misleading (and ephemeral) Trump shift percentage values as of Nov. 6. Please note the degree to which the Trump shift lessened and disappeared in the 10 days after the election. Another red mirage. But if you had only read the Nov. 6 article and not looked at the updated data, you would have been fooled into thinking Trump support is stronger than it is.