Carroll County Public Schools Superintendent Charles Ecker, 79, was born on his family?s Uniontown farm. He served two terms as Howard County executive (1990-1998) after serving as Howard?s deputy and assistant superintendent of schools. He also was assistant superintendent of schools in Prince George?s County.
Ecker graduated from Westminster High School, which is now East Middle School, and received his bachelor?s degree from Western Maryland College, now McDaniel College. He earned his master?s degree and doctorate in education from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. Ecker has two sons and 11 grandchildren, and as Howard?s executive, he met both President Clinton and former first lady Barbara Bush.
Q What is unique about the Carroll County school system?
A I was in Prince George?s County for several years, and Prince George?s is very, very large. When I left [Carroll County] in 1967, we had 13,000 students. [Prince George?s] had 160,000 students ? I didn?t even know the principals there. Here, I know the students.
Q You answer your phone and always call reporters back personally. Why?
A I need the press more than the press needs me. There are some things we can?t tell you because of privacy laws, but I like to be open and honest. My door is always open. The door [to my office] was solid when I got here. First thing I did was put in a plate of glass as a symbol of openness. In 2001 we had a sex case [involving] a man at an elementary school who was having contact with boys. The police called the parents of one of the boys and said, “We interviewed your son today about having a relationship with Mr. so-and-so,” and the father said, “He abused me when I was in school.” And the people around here said, “Are you going to tell the press about that?” I said, “They?re going to find out anyway.” If you try to hide something, [reporters] are going to say, “What else are you trying to hide?”
Q What?s your motivation?
A I enjoy helping others help themselves. I don?t like to give people handouts. I will for a while, but I like to get them to help themselves, and I think most people want to. Some people are down and out and don?t have the opportunities other people have had. I?ve had wonderful opportunities, but you have to get people [motivated] to help themselves.
Q Harford County is moving toward mandating school uniforms. Will that happen in Carroll?
A We?ve talked about it, and I have mixed emotions. I think school uniforms would be good for several reasons. There?s a lot of competition with students and families, trying to buy the best tennis shoes or jackets, and some of them are pretty expensive. And then there?s crime, where some things are stolen because a student, who doesn?t have enough money to buy them, will just take them from somebody else. Uniforms would put everybody on the same level. Some of the clothes kids wear today can hide a lot of weapons. I saw a video where a guy took about 10 guns and knives out of the pants he had on, and you wouldn?t know it from looking at it. Some parents would like uniforms, some wouldn?t. Wehave not pressed it here yet.
Q How about year-round school?
A I?d like to go to year-round school. You would divide your student body into fourths. On any given day, 25 percent of your student body would be home. You would get 45 days [in school] and then off 15 and rotate students. That way you can reduce cost. You don?t need as many buildings, you don?t need as much operating expenses for administrators and guidance counselors and that sort of thing. However, that idea has not been well-received. Kids like summer vacations.
Q What about the recent violence in Baltimore City schools?
A It?s terrible. I wish I had the answer. I keep saying the school systems can do a lot ? we can do more than what we?re doing, but we need the parents? support, we need the parents? involvement. We need parents to say, “Where are you going? What are you going to do? Who are you going to be with? When are you coming home?”
Q The school system partnered with the Sheriff?s Office last year concerning cyberbullying. How important is it for parents to monitor Internet use?
A There are a lot of good things on the Internet, but there are a lot of bad things. Parents have to be involved. Some say, “His room is his room. I stay out of there.” As long as they?re living in your house, you need to be involved. That?s what I tell parents. [They need] to monitor what their kids are doing on the Internet.
Q Is parenting the biggest difference between when you went to school and today?
A If I got into trouble at school, I was in trouble at home. I lived on a little farm, and I didn?t have much time to get into trouble. My grandkids ask, “Where did you go on vacation?” I say, “To the barn.” We didn?t have indoor plumbing.
Q When did schools start doing the parents? job?
A It gradually has gone that way.
Q What?s been the most fun working in the school system?
A Being in the administration, I miss working with students. When I taught, I taught eighth-grade science for a while and physical education. I coached every sport they had. At Taneytown, where I started, they had soccer, basketball, baseball, and track and field. One year, my star pitcher also won the state 100 [meters], 220 [meters] and broad jump championships.
