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| Volume: I, Issue 11 | Thursday May 10, 2012 |
 School Board MemberFights Impeachment |
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HCPSS FILE PHOTO: Allen Dyer, out-going Howard County School Board Member has six months left in his term, but he is currently fighting to keep his post as the state board reviews the county school board's claim of misconduct in office. |
Allen Dyer apparently has few friends on the Howard County Board of Education. In the coming days, the man who stood for "Open Meetings" and "Open Records" will be openly examined in impeachment hearings beginning May 7, 2012. Mr. Dyer refers to his opponents as the "Gang of Four", which includes board members Janet Siddiqui, Frank Aquino, Ellen Giles, and Sandra French.
Mr. Dyer lost his bid for a second term on the board, but he still has more than six months remaining before he is replaced by one of the candidates running in the general election.
The board made up its mind back in June 2011 that it had enough of Mr. Dyer's lawsuits against it, and so they voted to remove him from office, if possible, through an impeachment process that most likely has never been used before to remove a sitting board member.
As its basis for dismissal the board is using provision �3-701(g) of the Maryland Education Code Annotated that allows the State Board of Education to remove a county board member based on misconduct in office. Other reasons for removal include immorality, incompetency, and willful neglect of duty according to the 2012 version of the provision.
Mr. Dyer's troubles began after he refused a board request to cease legal actions against the board. He sued the board to open all of its meetings (or at least the records of those meetings) to the public. His contention is that no record between public officials can be sealed or kept secret. Perhaps the board could have handled one suit, but Mr. Dyer also sued the board in an attempt to have them cease providing transportation funds for non-public school children.
The two suits mentioned are numbered among the dozen or more suits filed, including some prior to Mr. Dyer's election to the board in 2008.
In a recent interview Mr. Dyer said, "[The board] has to comply with the Open Meetings Act and can't destroy public records, as stated in our state code. These are governance issues." The board's contention is that Mr. Dyer exhibited misconduct in office and for that reason he needs to be removed.
According to Mr. Dyer, the board has characterized him as a bully. Mr. Dyer considers himself the minority on the board. Indeed, he is often out of step with the majority and is not given much to compromise.
Mr. Dyer appears to be one who stands his ground on principle. This statement is based on his tenacious and unrelenting efforts to bring about change to the board. His values do not seem to have changed much over time. He has been pushing for complete transparency for years.
Although his value system seems to resonate with a loyal contingent in Howard County, his methods appear to have some wincing.
A glimpse into the board's deliberations at a closed meeting clarified that a majority of the board does not want Mr. Dyer to have access to past confidential records. Mr. Dyer is steadfastly intent on retrieving those records.
The standoff is further complicated by the lawsuits and possible board discussions of those lawsuits, which Mr. Dyer would not have knowledge of or access to as a private citizen. The present board rules deny access of confidential meeting minutes to the public and also to board members unless the board votes to unseal such records.
We asked Mr. Dyer to list the items for which he is seeking change. He listed four items. They all related to opening up the board to public scrutiny. He believes that the board should not do the following: 1. copyright public documents, 2. destroy public records, 3. deny board member access to records of confidential meetings, and 4. meet secretly to discuss the ethics issues regarding another board member.
In response to why he chooses to sue the board regarding his concerns, Mr. Dyer said, "I tried to hold [the board] accountable with the law." He went on to say, "Is the Board of Education operating legally? That is the area of conflict being played out."
Mr. Dyer is no stranger to Guilford. In 2008 he met with Ricardo Whitaker of Guilford to discuss possible remedies to help close the achievement gap, and he volunteered on two occasions (while serving on the board) to meet the needs of the community. Once he participated actively in "Raising the Bar", a grassroots effort to help parents navigate the academic needs of students, and later he joined a spring clean-up effort in a wooded area off of Guilford Road near Oakland Mills Road.
The impeachment hearing will be held at the Office of Administrative Hearing in Hunt Valley, Maryland on May 7th beginning at 9:30 am.
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The Publisher's Notes |
The education and general welfare of our children is a critical theme here at Guilford Gazette. While we do not often think of it, the education of a child begins straight out of the womb, perhaps earlier. Usually, the mom is the first teacher. The child learns how to walk and talk, learns manners, and much more. The mother is there through the critical, early phase, and the dad usually fills the gap.
Later, in most cases, the parents pack up the kid and sends her to pre-school or kindergarten. That first day of school can be traumatic for both the parents and the child, or it could be an absolutely delightful experience. Either way, the academic journey formally begins at that point.
On that momentous first day of school, parents should ask themselves if they have a vision for the child's future, and if so, to what extent will the parent be involved? Some parents find themselves deeply involved and even entrenched in their child's education.
The annoying parent - the one who does daily homework checks and asks a myriad of questions each school day - the one who knows the school staff better than the child, that parent typically has the child with the good grades and high test scores. Of course, this is not always the case. There's always that anomaly.
The not-so-annoying parent, who is just as loving, may be in the mindset that the academic education of the child is solely the responsibility of the school. That parent has completed the daily tour of duty by helping the child to be on-time to class.
Recently, I spoke briefly to Cameron Miles, a man with a heart for those teens falling through the cracks. He runs a program at Coppin State University called Mentoring Male Teens. Watching the tremendous work of Cameron is a strong indication that a parent's love is simply not enough. A strategic plan is required to get our children into adulthood fully educated and morally prepared to tackle the challenges in this 21st Century.
In Howard County we are still talking about academic achievement gaps. We have achieved very little success in erasing the gap. Somehow it seems that the reason for the gap does not fully rest with the schools. Perhaps it is time to look more closely at the home.
Ricardo L. Whitaker
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| May Scholarships | |
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Hammond News | |
Missing Textbooks
Hammond is missing textbooks. A call is going out to parents to help locate missing textbooks and encourage their students to return the books and any other school supplies that should be returned.
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Classifieds | |
Newspaper Carrier
Newspaper Carrier needed for one or more of the following areas: Guilford, Savage, Jessup, Owen Brown and Kings Contrivance. Pays $5.25 to start. Call 410-777-8467 or email: News@GuilfordGazette.com
Director of Music Position.
Valley Brook Community Church is seeking a part-time Director of Music. We are located in Columbia, Maryland with our offices in Burtonsville. We are a non-denominational church and strive to have a diverse worship set each week to include genres from hymns and spirituals, contemporary praise and worship selections, and gospel. The Director of Music will work closely with the pastor, worship leaders and staff in planning for each Sunday's set. The Director of Music will be responsible for the leadership, development and growth of our praise team through weekly Wednesday night rehearsals as well as the day to day management of music related administrative duties.
The qualified candidate must have made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ. A degree in music is preferred but not required. Previous experience in directing choirs or ensembles is a must. The Director of Music must be able to play piano, read music, play by ear, sing when needed and transcribe vocal parts off of recordings as well as posses a basic knowledge of Word and Excel for administrative aspects of the job. This is an hourly position for now (approx. 20 hours per week) with the possibility for more as experience and circumstances warrant.
Resumes can be mailed to Valley Brook Community Church, Attn: Mary Wierick, 3333 Spencerville Rd, Burtonsville, MD 20866 or emailed to maryvbcc@verizon.net.
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Summer Fun & Opportunities | |
Summer Study Skills Camps!
These will be held the weeks of August 6, 13, and 20. High school classes meet from 11:30-1:30 Monday through Friday. This is a very powerful way to prepare students as they move into the new academic demands of the new school year. All classes meet at the University of Phoenix. The sliding scale fee ranges from $170 to $234 and includes a copy of What's My Style? Test and Study Secrets for Procrastinating Teens by Betty Caldwell.Call 410-740-4659. or Bcaldwell@comcast.net.
Spend A Summer Day
Events are open houses designed to help you learn about admissions, academics, and student life at Penn State. You and your family are invited to join us at any of our 20 undergraduate campuses. To see where each of our campuses are located, please view the map. Registration is required. Many colleges and universities are holding open houses for prospective students. Use www.collegeboard.org to find links to colleges your student may be interested in. Now is the time for our underclassmen to begin their college visits. Spend a Summer Day event registration opens on Tuesday, May 15, 2012.
Robert Cook Honors College - Summer Honors Program
The Robert E. Cook Honors College at Indiana University of Pennsylvania is once again hosting a Summer Honors Program. This program brings together talented high school students from across the United States. Very soon you will begin the process of applying to college. Do you feel confident that you have the skills and experience to make your application standout? Are you sure you know what you are looking for in a college? This is an excellent opportunity to experience a challenging honors college curriculum, to complete college level courses taught by faculty from various disciplines and to participate in activities in an environment that is usually only available to college students.
Host an International Student.
E.F. Language Travel is looking for stable, caring host families to host students from Spain, France, Russia and China this summer. The students are here July 4-23 and July 25-August 13. Ages 14-17. They spend Monday-Friday at UMBC campus studying English and going on various field trips and outings. Host families drop off students at 8:30 a.m. and pick them up at 5:30 p.m. Host families provide a bed and three meals a day for the students. Evenings and weekends are spent with their host families. Host families receive a stipend of $300 per student they host. Students have their own spending money and medical insurance. Interested families should email april.snyder@ef.com or call 443-812-4914.
Mental Health Concerns of Adolescents
Thursday, May 10 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at The Bain Center, 5470 Ruth Keeton Way, in Columbia, 21044. There is NO fee to attend this event; however, space is limited, and parents must pre-register by calling 410-313-1940. The panel includes representatives from local community programs and student speakers, and will address a range of topics. After the panel presentations, parents will have the opportunity to take part in an open discussion or submit questions anonymously, depending on their comfort level.
Adventure Rodeo
Recreation and Parks' School's Out Adventure Rodeo forages 10-12. May 18, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Centennial Park South. Spend the day outdoors while sampling a variety of adventure activities and games. Fee $73 includes equipment, instruction, supervision and a cookout lunch. More information: Matt Medicus, 410-313-4719 or www.howardcountymd.gov/schoolsout.htm
Youth Dances
The Elkridge Volunteer Fire Department's Junior Firefighters is sponsoring two youth dances for ages 9-15, at the fire hall, 6275 Old Washington Rd.
Luau youth dance - Sat., May 19 from 7-10 p.m.
End-Of-School youth dance
Sat., June 2, from 7-10 p.m. Tickets are available at the door for $10 per person with a maximum of 200 tickets sold. Food and beverages, which include pizza, corn dogs, and nachos will be for sale. The department has a "no exceptions" policy on appropriate behavior and dress code for its youth dances, and enforces a strict adult sign-in/sign-out procedure. For more information, call 410-761-6633 (select option 5), or go to www.ElkridgeVFD.org.
FOR HIGH SCHOOLS ONLY
Collision Avoidance Training - The Howard County Police Department will conduct Collision Avoidance Training (C.A.T.) for 2012 with classes from now through December. The C.A.T. program is an advanced defensive driving and vehicle control program for licensed teenage drivers ages 16-20 years old. The two-day, 12-hour program is designed to provide young drivers with the knowledge and understanding of vehicle dynamics.
The cost per student is $95 for both classes. Remaining dates for 2012 are:
May 18-19 October 19-20
June 29-30 November 16-17
July 20-21 December 7-8
August 17-18
September 14-15
For additional information contact Carolyn Bennett, C.A.T. Coordinator, at the Howard County Police Department, 410-313-3700 or visit www.howardcountymd.gov/departments.aspx
Relay for Life
The American Cancer Society invites you to form a team and participate in Relay For Life. The event is an overnight stay. We have two events to choose from. Relay For Life of Howard County June 1-2, 2012 Long Reach High School www.HowardRFL.com. Western Howard County June 8-9, 2012. Western Regional Park. www.RelayForLife.org/WesternHoward
5K Fun Run
Howard County Library 5K and Fun Run -Sat., June 9, at 8 a.m. East Columbia Branch 6600 Cradlerock Way Columbia, 21045. For more information call 410-313-7750 or www.hclibrary.org
Kids Mini-Triathlon
Worldwide Shelters is holding a kids mini triathlon on June 18, at Cattail Creek Country Club in Glenwood. Kids 3-12 can participate and older kids may help to gain service hours. The cost is $40 per participant. www.worldwideshelters.org
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Publisher:
Adventure Enterprises of Maryland LLC
P.O. Box 2454
Columbia, Maryland 21045
Phone: 410-777-8467 Fax: 240-455-0845
Every week we seek to bring news and information of interest and importance to you. If you think that we are doing a good job, please let us know. Likewise, if there is some special content that you would like to see published on a regular basis, please let us know that also.
I personally look forward to serving you now and for many years to come. Sincerely, Ricardo L. Whitaker
Adventure Enterprises of Maryland LLC |
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