Montgomery County Board of Education Endorsements: Patricia O'Neill, Maria Blaeuer, Brenda Wolff, and Julie Reiley

Last June I posted my endorsements for the primary election for the Montgomery County Board of Education.  https://davidfishback.blogspot.com/2018/06/2018-primary-endorsements-part-two.html  At that time I noted that  every two years a lot of people ask me for my voting recommendations.  I chalk that up mostly to the fact that I immerse myself more in politics and school matters than most people, so I have more information than many of my friends have the time to absorb.

For the uninitiated, the Montgomery County Board of Education (BOE) has seven members (and a student member).  There are two At-large seats and five District seats.  While candidates for the District seats must live in their districts, all County voters may vote in all the District races.  In this cycle, three District seats and one At-Large seat are up for election. 

In June,  I noted that I had a particular interest in knowing candidates' views on LGBTQ matters, and was happy to learn that all of them were supportive of the progress MCPS had made and continues to make.

Since the top two vote-getters in the non-partisan primary go on to the General Election, and only two of the four contests had more than two candidates, last June I only discussed the District 3 and At-Large contests. I recommended the re-election of Patricia O'Neill, who has been a BOE member since 1998, although I recognized that one of her opponents, Lynn Amano, was a very impressive candidate, and would also make a good BOE member.  For the At-Large race, I discussed three of the seven candidates, with whom I was particularly impressed (Julie Reiley, John Robertson, and Karla Silvestre), suggesting that people vote for one of those three; they were all excellent in different ways.

Happily, Ms. O'Neill and Ms. Amano were the top two vote-getters for District 3, as were Julie Reiley and Karla Silvestre for the At-Large seat. Indeed, in all four races everyone of the candidates on the November general election ballot are good people with good instincts about educational policy.  All would be assets on the Board of Education.  We should always be so fortunate.

The BOE, at its best, is a collaborative group, seeking to make the best policy decisions for MCPS.  A diversity of background, experience, and approaches is very useful in making the best decisions.  So in deciding for whom to vote, my view is that we should look at the candidates as a package.  In other words, we should try to figure out the best team to put on the field.

Here are my choices for the General Election:

DISTRICT 1

Judy Docca is running for her fourth term against challenger Maria Blaeuer. Ms. Docca has been a progressive voice on the BOE, but I think that it is time for someone new in that seat.  My particular experience with her on LGBTQ matters colors my viewpoint here.  While Ms. Docca always was in favor of the steps we needed to take in the 2004-2012 era, she never seemed able to wrap her mind around the fact that, after the initial 2005 temporary setback, the BOE did not need to be squeamish about proceeding because of the threats of right-wing lawsuits.  Even after we roundly defeated a right-wing lawsuit in 2008, she still told me she did not want to go farther than we had gone because of fear of further suits.  On the one hand, in her defense, she was not an attorney; on the other hand, it did not take legal training to understand that we were in no legal jeopardy. Going along with the Superintendent (then Jerry Weast) is not always a good thing. While other BOE members indicated to me that they did not want to take on former Superintendent Weast, they did seem to understand that the specter of legal liability had been dispelled.  I never got that sense from Ms. Docca. See here at pp. 14-15, 16-18, 21-24.  We have new challenges facing MCPS, and while Ms. Docca has a good heart and progressive views, the presence of a good alternative leads me to think that it is time for a change.

I have reviewed Ms. Blaeur's positions, observed her at a recent candidate forum, and had a useful conversation with her.  I believe that Maria Blaeur presents a fresh alternative to Ms. Docca, and I intend to vote for her.

For more information on Ms. Blaeur, click here and here..  For more information on Ms. Docca, click here.


DISTRICT 3

While it is a close call (for the reasons I expressed last June), I will vote for Patricia O'Neill.  I expect the incoming BOE (exclusive of the District 3 seat) will consist of three new members, two members who were first elected just two years ago, and another first elected six years ago.  In that context, I believe that Ms. O'Neill's experience and institutional knowledge will be particularly  valuable.  While Ms. Amano would bring fresh eyes to a number of issues, I think that freshness will be provided by other new or nearly-new members. I hope that Ms. Amano will stay involved (as have many members over the years who lost in their first attempts to be elected to the Board).

For more information on Ms. O'Neill, click here and here.  For more information on Ms. Amano, click here and here.

DISTRICT 5

Brenda Wolff is running for the District 5 seat.  Her only opponent withdrew from the race, so she is now unopposed.  Even before the withdrawal, I had decided to vote for her.  I have had a number of discussions with her, and am certain that her experience in educational policy and her progressive views would make her an excellent BOE member.

For more information on Ms. Wolff, click here and here.

AT-LARGE

This is the toughest one for me.  Both candidates are of Hispanic heritage, and that is important for our diverse school system.  As I noted in June, both candidates would bring great strengths and experience to the job.  I intend for vote for Julie Reiley, based on her experience regarding the needs of several categories of students, particularly those with special needs.  A long-time PTA activist, she has served as co-chair of the MoCo Special Education Advisory Committee and vice-chair of the MCCPTA Special Education Committee, while also serving on the board of the Walter Johnson High School PTA. On the other hand, Karla Silvestre provides deep experience with the Hispanic Community.  As with the District 3 race, I wish we could elect both candidates.  But, alas, we cannot.  As with Ms. Amano, I hope that Ms. Silvestre will stay involved in MCPS matters.

For more information on Ms. Reiley, click here and here.  For more information on Ms. Silvestre, click here and here.