Candidates for U.S. Senate and governor headed back to school Monday, touting their commitment to education.
In Essex, Gov. Robert Ehrlich handed out a $1.3 million grant for a new science, technology, engineering and math academy at Chesapeake High School, while his challenger for governor, Mayor Martin O?Malley, visited several city schools.
Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, a candidate for U.S. Senate, visited an Elkridge elementary school, while first lady Kendel Ehrlich greeted students enrolled in a Chinese language program at Dulaney High School, her alma mater.
County Executive Jim Smith, running for re-election, joined the Ehrlichs at each school, and then headed out to Reisterstown Elementary and Windsor Mill Middle School with Rep. Ben Cardin, a county resident running for U.S. Senate. Cardin had started the day at his own alma mater, Baltimore City College.
At Windsor Mill, the first new middle school built in the county in 22 years, Smith joined a long list of elected officials from throughout Maryland who endorsed Cardin in the Senate race.
Cardin listed a series of initiatives he?s sponsored during his 20 years in Congress to help education, the most recent being his support for the master teacher act, making part of their income tax exempt if they teach in schools struggling to meet minimum standards.
On Saturday, O?Malley and hisrunning mate announced that they were committed to providing $400 million in their first year for public school construction, and $250 million a year for the next 10 years. Ehrlich has committed to spending $250 million a year on school construction.
