For the post Labor Day school start legislation to have a chance of ever passing the Maryland General Assembly, supporters need to regroup and craft a new strategy.
At this week’s Economic Development Committee meeting, Sen. Jim Mathias discussed the legislation, which went nowhere in this past legislative session. The bills were introduced in the House and Senate and failed to even make it to the committee level. Clearly, there is not support among enough legislators to mandate that all schools in Maryland hold off returning until after Labor Day.
“There’s a success story in that bill still to be told,” Mathias said. “Maybe the answer is not Labor Day. Maybe it’s Sept. 1, but there is a solution to this.”
That was a revealing comment and seems to indicate finding some sort of middle ground may be the best avenue here, despite the fact the proper process was followed here. A task force, comprised of a diverse group of interests, was convened to study the issue and a great majority recommended the mandate.
Clearly, there were a couple things at play this year in Annapolis. One was timing and the fact Labor Day falls as late as it possible can this year with the first possible day of school being Sept. 8. Worcester County is the only school system in Maryland that has okayed that start date this year.
Additionally, there was the robust opposition from Maryland superintendents of schools and the teachers unions. That played a part and when politics gets involved everything tends to slow down. In this case, it simply got ignored.
On the flip side, however, there was the task force recommendation for it after reviewing all angles as well as the online petition effort that reached impressive status and another well-regarded telephone poll that showed support.
Delegate Mary Beth Carozza also addressed the situation this week, saying, “I really believe we’re going to need a strategy. We were really outnumbered on this in the legislature. We need a strategy to show a statewide benefit and that this is not just something for Ocean City. It is a very heavy lift.”
If it didn’t get through this first year when it had momentum from a significant public relations campaign led by the comptroller, it will probably an even heavier lift next year. Finding a middle ground of Sept. 1 may be the answer, but clearly a new approach is needed, and it will start building consensus. The problem is that will be difficult.