A Stark Warning
Editor:
There is not a structure that can be build high enough nor a society that becomes rich enough to avoid investing in their children’s future. Today our county’s public school system although one of the most expensive in the nation and the world is a disgrace and must be promptly interceded with by the County Commissioners and changed.
Jim Thorpe, Hank Aaron and Roberto Clemente were all heroes of mine, and their books should be in every public school system but not at the expense of Christopher Columbus, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Frederick Douglass’s contribution should be taught but not to belittle Abe Lincoln.
Sexuality and racism should not be a part of public education. Public education is the study of reading, writing, mathematics and history and nothing else. We must promptly return to teaching our children how to think not what to think. By undermining historic Christian values by teaching attitudes of privilege and letting children use pronouns, our school system has regressed back to the stone age. Public schools are based on equality not equity. We are created equal and given inalienable rights by our Creator.
The county should reject educators who compare their weak achievements to the weaker achievements of other failing school systems in the State.
When comparing Stephen Decatur today to the classes at Stephen Decatur in the past, that graduated in the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s, you first notice that the costs to educate a student after inflation has gone up more than 300%. Why? Also, that four-year college admissions have significantly declined, why?
The International PISA Tests tell the true story about failed American Public Educators and Education. In the 1960’s, 70’s & 80’s the United States was peer-less, number one in the world in international testing, what happened? Google PISA Test and see for yourself how pathetic we are today. Of course, China is number one. The only thing we are number one in is money spent to educate. The Department of Defense released today that 80% of 17-24-year-olds are not qualified for military service.
In India the Cow is sacred but their education is based on merit. County Commissioners have to stop treating education like the ‘Sacred Cow’. Each year the Commissioners struggle to make sure Education is funded, why? Funding without accountability is foolish, particularly for an agrarian county totally dependent on Ocean City’s tourism.
Mr. Taylor, you must make up your mind, teaching young boys how to put “rubbers on,” even with parental consent, is not a part of your job. Hirings based on “privilege, diversity, equity and inclusion” have no place in education. Hiring should be done on merit. I was blessed at Falls Church High, a public school, to have Col. Mare teach US History and Admiral Tackne teach math. Hiring teachers based on race or ethnicity lowers the quality of education for our children. Also Mr. Taylor if you have a rotten apple in the barrel, you don’t transfer them to another school you expel them.
The Chinese are focused on merit, and where do you think they learned that from Mr. Taylor? Stick with reading, writing, arithmetic and history, please, not more. Mr. Taylor, either fix it, resign or be removed.
It is encouraging that the commissioners and the Board of Education voted unanimously to oppose Maryland Legislation 119. But it’s too little too late.
The Commissioners must use the county’s purse strings to tame the out-of-control education beast. Failure to act soon and decisively will just exacerbate the decline while allowing the promotion of adolescent ignorance at a huge taxpayer expense.
Public education today has institutionalized and undermines the merit-based public education system
that once informed the world. For the children’s sake it must be promptly changed.
With pressures from the Communists in state government we need all hands on deck for this is a fight for our cultural and religious heritage our way of life, yes, we need your help too Mr. Taylor.
How brave is Katie Addis for almost singlehandedly attacking the education beast.
Tony Christ
Falls Church, Va./Ocean City
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County Police Seeking Collective Bargaining
Editor:
(The following was sent to the Worcester County Commissioners with a copy sent to this newspaper for publication.)
On behalf of the members of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 50, we would like to respectfully ask for your support in our endeavors to obtain collective bargaining with binding arbitration.
This request comes due to the recent updates about police account-ability and the struggling economy to protect the members and their families. Collective bargaining with binding arbitration promotes a healthy esprit de corps for recruitment and retention. Al-so, with the current environment surrounding our profession, collective bar-
gaining would ensure that our members are treated equitability for the services they provide and the dangers that could incur.
Not only is this in respect to wages but working conditions and the promotional process which directly affects salaries. Also, in respect to salaries, the potential to adopt a separate pay scale would honor the demanding work that our members provide. Surrounding agencies who have collective bargaining with binding arbitration are more marketable agencies to apply and transfer to. Therefore, this serves as a hindrance for the recruitment of new members to our agency.
Along with this, staying competitive with salary and opportunities will attract exemplary candidates. With exemplary candidates serving as law enforcement members, it would re-duce costs associated with civil litigation and present the county in the most favorable light. With your sup-port, we hope the Lodge can continue to make strides toward obtaining this goal.
Bryn Blackburn
(The writer is the president of FOP Lodge 50.)
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Economic Mobility For Most Vulnerable
Editor:
Serving the best interest of the poor, serves the best interest of all people. The Family Prosperity Act puts this premise into action by offering permanence of one of the most effective strategies for addressing poverty, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). Permanently extending the state’s EITC and expanding the CTC puts money into the pockets of those needing it most and helps set them on a path toward success. As Maryland’s federally-designated antipoverty network, MCAP’s Community Action Agencies know well what it takes to fight against poverty across the state.
A proven strategy for fighting poverty is the two-generation approach, or ”2Gen.” The 2Gen Approach targets low-income children and parents from the same household, combining parent and child interventions to interrupt the cycle of poverty. Community Action Agencies across the state are implementing 2Gen strategies to develop pathways that move families from crisis to economic mobility.
We’ve seen an 84% increase in the number of persons needing services since the pandemic years. Real solutions to the post-pandemic reality are needed, and we see the path forward to-ward greater economic mobility through the Family Prosperity Act.
The Family Prosperity Act, including the EITC and CTC, will strengthen 2Gen efforts by allowing families the cushion needed to make investments in their futures. These acts of legislation in combination with the continued work of MCAP’s Community Action Agency is exactly what it takes to move families toward economic mobility.
Community Action Agencies help families with budgeting, housing counseling and provide a range of services that strengthen financial capability of families. We are excited and pleased to see this as one of the Governor’s priorities. It speaks to his commitment to leaving no one behind. The Maryland Community Action Partnership serves as the unified voice for Community Action Agencies across the state and supports the bill to ensure the well-being of those most vulnerable. Expanding the state’s CTC to cover taxpayers with children five and under who have a federally adjusted gross income of $15,000 or less aligns with our target families for the 2Gen Approach to holistically serve families.
Services and programs Community Action provides include services for children, seniors, affordable housing, homelessness, emergency assistance, food provision, employment, education, health, transportation, tax and financial planning.
The Maryland Community Action Partnership (MCAP) is a statewide non-profit organization comprised of Maryland’s 17 Community Action Agencies, which collectively serve every Maryland county. Together, we work toward eradicating homelessness and poverty to realize our vision of ensuring that all Maryland individuals and families are stable, economically secure, and live in safe and thriving communities. For more information, go to www.-maryland-cap.org. MCAP media inquiries should be directed to [email protected].
Angela Martin
(The writer is the executive director of the Maryland Community Action Partnership.)