A proposed Baltimore County school board with elected and appointed members is gaining momentum as the favored option in both General Assembly chambers.
Baltimore County state senators voted 6-2 Thursday evening to support the proposal, said bill sponsor Sen. Bobby Zirkin, D-District 11.
The existing board includes four at-large members, one from each of the seven County Council districts, and one student representative, all appointed by the governor.
Under the proposal, voters would elect one additional member from each district.
“I think it?s a great sign that both delegations have voted to give representation to the public,” Zirkin said. “But we?re still a ways away. There?s some intense lobbying to slow this baby down.”
Lawmakers favored the bill over other proposals that would require Senate confirmation of the governor?s appointments or the creation of a nomination committee to supply the governor with a list of approved candidates. The sponsors of those bills, Sens. Delores Kelly, D-District 10, and Kathy Klausmeier, D-District 8, voted against Zirkin?s proposal. Neither returned a phone call for comment by press time.
Members of the county chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and several existing school board members have opposed the hybrid plan, which met the approval of the county?s House delegation last week.
Board Member Meg O?Hare said entirely appointed boards guarantee diverse representation, and she fears elected school boards eventually will have taxing authority. Board President Don Arnold said the board, already one of the largest in the nation, would contain too many members.
“It?s harder to manage,” Arnold said. “How do you get anything done?”
Zirkin said lawmakers have requested amendments, including adjusting the terms of existing board members and including oversight from the county executive and County Council.
He said he hopes to have a drafted version completed in a few days.
