Wicomico County Questions Board of Ed on Transparency
MARYLAND-
The Wicomico County council is calling for more transparency from the Board of Education.
Right now at their meetings, there is no allowance for public comment, and some in the council felt a recent transition to in person learning report didn’t have enough information.
Council members say more communication with parents is necessary.
“As you know we have a very large budget, the public school system is almost half of that budget and just making sure parents and teachers have what they need to be successful,” Councilwoman Nicole Acle tells 47ABC.
Over two decades ago, legislation was passed statewide to require public comment at each county board of education meeting as well as detailed governmental reports, but it only applied to counties that had county executives.
At the time, Wicomico had a commission government, thereby missing the boat.
Since the County has had an executive now for some time – council members want to go back to the state to be included in that legislation.
Donna Hanlin, superintendent of Wicomico County Schools, expressed some pushback thought – saying their reports are sufficient.
“I’m not opposed to transparency, just the opposite, all I’m saying is that these reports already exist.”
Councilman Joe Holloway disagrees, describing a difficult process to obtain information from the Board of Ed.
“The last time I sought information I was told I could come to the office, come to the computer and I could not print out the information that I wanted. Somebody asks questions, there are no answers sometimes.”
The Council has approved sending a letter to the State asking for change.
Councilman John Cannon was in opposition to the move.
“But we don’t have a letter of endorsement from the County Executive at all, and the county executive is not in favor of this. So I don’t see how we’ll be sending a letter to the state of Maryland.”
47 ABC reached out to County Executive John Psota but he declined comment.
Dodge Landesman, 47ABC
