Disappointed By County
Editor:
It would be accurate to say I am disheartened by the final decision of the Worcester County Commissioners to fund the Board of Education (BOE) at the Maintenance of Effort (MOE) level which is approximately $4.4 million short of the FY24 request. The request, if fully granted, would have guaranteed that I, and all other BOE teachers, support staff, and bus contractors would be earning what next year’s contracts were already negotiated for, and that students of the county would continue to have access to all programs and services meant to support their educational success.
Now we must wait with bated breath to see what the Board of Education does with a budget shortfall. Will they cut after school programs? I sincerely hope not. I work two afternoons of after-school to make extra money; not to mention my Homework Help program allows students focused time to work with tutors to catch up on class assignments. I suppose I can find another side hustle to make ends meet, but what will the kids do to raise their class grades? Will they cut professional development and training opportunities? I hope not. Along with my core subject of English, I teach reading intervention support to struggling readers. Through training, in and outside the county, I’m given the opportunity to build my skills to increase my kids’ reading levels which allows them to become productive individuals in and outside of school. I guess I can hope I’m trained enough, and that I don’t miss out on anything new that would benefit my students.
I could continue to bring up things that the BOE may consider cutting in order to balance their budget. However, what’s the point when members of the BOE Executive Board and members of the BOE Elected Board have both insinuated their focus will be on rescinding the contract agreements made in March? If the 4% COLA and Step increase aren’t granted, my paychecks next year will be smaller than this year. How? In addition to only granting MOE, the County Commissioners approved a health insurance package at a 9.5% premium resulting in an increase in cost to all county employees.
It is now in the hands of the Board of Education. In reality – it always was. The Maryland Constitution has a firewall between the BOE and the County Commissioners to insulate education from partisan over-reach. In short, the County Commissioners have no say in how the BOE allocates funds granted by them. Instead, they’ve made this Worcester County teacher second guess the county I teach in, how I will make sure my students are getting the best education and support they can, and wonder how I will continue to provide for my own family. Because even if the BOE fully funds the negotiated contracts, my eyes have been opened to the precarious situation I am in as a public education teacher in Worcester County.
Megan Seyler
Berlin
(The writer is an English teacher at Stephen Decatur High School.)
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Baffled By Commissioners
Editor:
I owe an enormous part of my success to the Worcester County education system and the myriad of teachers who have played crucial roles in my upbringing. Without their unwavering guidance and support, I firmly believe that my life could have taken a drastically different, possibly grim, path.
Today, however, my admiration for Worcester County was met with a profound disappointment. The blow came not just because the Worcester County Commissioners showed a baffling disregard for our dedicated teachers and students — merely a week after applauding our recent graduates at their commencement ceremonies — but also due to Caryn Abbot’s disrespectful remarks about Lou Taylor and our esteemed Board of Education.
As a local business owner, I’ve experienced the struggle of attracting professionals to our area. Despite the allure of our pristine beaches, it’s often our exemplary schools that serve as the decisive factor for those considering a move here. We grapple with enticing doctors to relocate to our region, a pressing need given our rapidly aging population on the shore. Again, our high-quality education system is often the crucial selling point that brings top-tier medical practitioners to our community.
If we’re prepared to witness a decline in property values and put an undue strain on our burgeoning population, then we should follow the precedent laid out by Caryn Abbot and Eric Fiori.
From my perspective, Lou Taylor, a paragon of professionalism and civility, has more than earned the right to be treated with a certain level of respect. He has devoted his entire life to Worcester County, making sacrifices for our community that are beyond my comprehension. If the County Commissioners have the audacity to treat such a man and our board with such flagrant disrespect, it begs the question: Why should I maintain my gentlemanly demeanor?
The precedent has been set, the stones have been cast, and these actions will not be forgotten.
Dr. Bobby Hammond
Ocean City
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A Proud Democrat
Editor:
As the summer season switches into high gear, I cannot help reflecting on the debt limit crisis. Hurricanes regularly ravage major population centers across Republican strongholds, in the same manner Republicans regularly raise the debt limit for other Republicans. Republicans invented the utilization of FEMA, which was created to dig DC out of a snow blizzard, to rebuild spots in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida over and over again. As well, Republicans invented deficit spending and the constant need to raise the debt limit. Trump had to raise the debt limit three times and found Congress so cooperative that they did it without any conditions.
Both hurricane season and debt limit season make me proud to be a Democrat because for my entire lifetime the Democrats in the USA have proven to be fiscally conservative and socially liberal, a system that works.
Gregory Gunther
Snow Hill and Ocean City
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DEI, What Is It?
Editor:
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (“DEI”) Is being broadly adopted in our community and nationally. Recently Mayor Rick Meehan hired a “DEI” Officer, why? What does she do? More concerning, Mr. Lou Taylor, our superintendent of schools, has described his educational approach as “diversity, equity, inclusion” (DEI), a position espoused by many of Lou’s minions in the County Education bureaucracy. How does his position change education for the county’s children in K-12? What does Mr. Taylor mean? Across the nation, public educational bureaucracies, politicians and large public companies are embracing DEI, why?
Although not exhaustive, we should take the effort to look at “DEI,” and answer some of these questions. A generation of children are being exposed to DEI in public education and we are paying for it.
Diversity on its face seems fair stating that all human differences should be represented in the workforce. This includes differences such as religion, ethnicity, creed, sex, gender, on and on. Should they be represented equally? Is that practical? Affirmative action was formed to increase Afro-American representation primarily in education, government and the workplace. Historically jobs and academic slots have been assigned on the basis of merit not race. How has that worked? Today the Federal Government employs 16.6% Afro-Americans, while only 12.6% are in the population. A 32% overrepresentation. Affirmative action prejudices selection against merit. Diversity results in broadening discrimination against merit.
Equity means acknowledging “structural inequality” that advantages some and disadvantages others, and to compensate for this classroom equality of opportunity, equity requires ill-defined compensation allocated to those whose “circumstances are not equal.” Once again discriminating against merit. it results in inequality in school and the workplace, rather than offering merit based compensation on achievement.
Inclusion strives to develop an inclusive culture, so that all voices are heard. This is applied to the “LGBT” (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender) community which is less than a half percent of the population but growing. By latching on to “inclusion,” this group states they are underrepresented in the workplace particularly at more senior levels.
Merit based selection, in school or on the job should only discriminate on the basis of merit relating to school work or job work.
In America the pillars of our Judeo-Christian Culture rest on self- responsibility and bearing the consequences of our own decisions. Discrimination based on merit in both jobs and schools, fosters an environment of hope and opportunity, resulting in wealth creation and independence.
Is DEI connected to Wokeness or Critical Race theory? If so, how? How does DEI relate to victimhood and privilege? Both are associated with Critical Theory (“CT”). Are these elements of a new and upcoming national philosophy? If so, will it change our culture, for better or worse? The Heart of our open free enterprise system is merit based on the freedom to choose. DEI at every step attacks this elemental principle and is consistent with both critical theory and wokeness. Both wokeness and critical theory use determinism, and do not believe in freedom of choice or that an individual should accept the consequences of their choices, both good and bad.
Adding DEI further extinguishes hope as well as opportunity by reducing merit-based decisions in school, government and work.
The County Commissioners have every reason to be disturbed with Lou Taylor and they should demand from him very specific accountability on how he is implementing DEI? In hiring? Grading? Down to the books in the library.
God can only imagine what the Mayor in Ocean City intends to do with the towns- new DEI Officer? We can only hope that it doesn’t result in the same consequence that both Bud Light and Target stores are experiencing! DEI should not be confused with the righteous civil rights movement quite the opposite. DEI is destructive to our basic culture and our institutions.
Tony Christ
Falls Church, Va. and Ocean City