ANNAPOLIS, Md. – A bill to change who is in charge of Prince George’s County Public Schools is proceeding in Annapolis over the objections of the school board.
Board of Education Chair Verjeana Jacobs calls County Executive Rushern Baker’s proposed plan “a flawed process, bad policy and bad precedent.”
Jacobs testified against the plan in Annapolis on Saturday, March 23.
Some Prince George’s County delegation members favor the plan, including Delegate Barbara Frush.
“I’m tired of our schools being at the bottom of the barrel. It’s embarrassing,” says Frush, a Democrat.
Under Baker’s proposed legislation, the county executive will have authority over the school system’s budget and the hiring of the superintendent.
Jacobs says Baker’s plan was a surprise. The Board of Education never saw a copy of the legislation before it was announced. Then, it was submitted in Annapolis where Baker, a former delegate, has many allies.
While Jacobs indicated she believes the move constitutes an end run around the school board, Frush says Baker genuinely cares about the school system.
“He’s a good man. We came into the legislature in 1995. We’ve been friends for years. I trust him,” Frush says.
Baker is holding a “Telephone Town Hall” to offer more details about the proposed plan to the public. Residents who wish to participate in the meeting can email the Office of the County Executive at countyexecutive@co.pg.md.usc WTOP’s Kate Ryan contributed to this report. Follow @KateRyanWTOP and @WTOP on Twitter.
