Gordana Schifanelli is on a mission to help save Maryland.
She has witnessed the damage the infiltration of left-wing policies has done to her beloved state. From the horrors of illegal immigration to schools constantly failing inner-city students, Schifanelli can be the beacon of hope the state needs to become great again. And, in doing so, she can also be the state’s first-ever female Republican lieutenant governor.
Schifanelli is an immigrant herself, coming to America from war-torn Yugoslavia in the 1990s. She witnessed firsthand the devastation that left-wing policies can do to a country. She sees through the Left’s indoctrination tactics. She understands the importance of legal immigration. Her experience makes her one of the most qualified candidates for lieutenant governor in Maryland’s history. She believes she can help be the change Marylanders want to see in the state’s government.
As a mother and educator herself, Schifanelli knows firsthand the problems Marylanders are facing. When I asked her about the biggest challenge for the state, she didn’t hesitate and mentioned the public education system.
“One of the biggest challenges Marylanders face is the catastrophic condition of our public schools,” Schifanelli told me. “The Maryland Teachers Association transitioned from an organization focused on teaching students to one of the worst Democrat party outfits focused on destroying a student’s education. They promote the most radical political theories on children as early as Kindergarten through so-called ‘social-emotional learning.'”
Schools have been a hot-button issue in the country since President Donald Trump led a campaign to rid the education system of critical race theory. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin followed suit and made championing education and parents’ rights in education a key component of his political platform. If elected, Schifanelli will do the same, starting with the state’s Board of Education.
“The Maryland Board of Education morphed into a racist, sexist, and gender-baiting entity. As a result, the exodus of students from public schools skyrocketed,” Schifanelli said. “Baltimore City high schools are graduating students who can only read at the first grade level in some instances. Algebra is a word they have no idea what it means, let alone a math concept they understand. Maryland children are suffering unprecedented neglect.”
When I asked what the plan would be to help these students, Schifanelli didn’t hesitate to answer: school choice.
“Dan Cox and I, along with all parents and teachers, can solve the problem instantly with school choice,” Schifanelli said. “The taxpayer’s money will follow the child to any school of their choice, including homeschooling or religious schools. The key is that the money must follow the children based on the parent’s decision.”
School choice would allow Marylanders from all over to have access to quality education. If implemented, her plan would eradicate the stories of students graduating with 1.0 grade-point averages or being unable to perform academic skills on appropriate grade levels.
“Charter, public, and private schools will open the door to competition. High-performing schools and teachers would be rewarded,” she said. “Finally, Maryland parents will be able to afford quality education that also fits their individual family faith and needs.”
She also mentioned how Maryland voters long for common sense in politics.
“The biggest issue Marylanders tell me is ‘bring back common sense,'” she said. “Get politics out of schools and leave our kids alone,” she said.
She mentioned the toxic impact gender ideology and critical race theory have on students in schools today. She emphasized that such divisive programs do nothing to prepare students for the real world or help increase socioeconomic mobility after they graduate from the public school system. They are nothing but indoctrination programs.
“The destructive political rhetoric must be left on the debate stage between political candidates seeking office and as far away from classrooms as possible,” she said.
One of the challenges of any campaign is earning the votes of independent voters. With many Marylanders upset about the current state of affairs, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, I asked Schifanelli how she plans on accomplishing this.
“Independent voters are the smartest group of voters because they realize that both parties fail to address their needs or keep their promises. I spoke to so many Republican voters who were very angry at Larry Hogan and left the party because he abandoned his promise to “change Maryland,” and instead, he transitioned to the Democrat party,” Schifanelli said. “Then, I spoke with Democrat voters who are angry that their party moved away from its traditional platform.”
Schifanelli was also passionate about many of the issues plaguing Maryland’s senior citizens, including high taxes hurting those on a fixed income.
“Another huge issue for Marylanders is excessive taxation and the fact that seniors cannot afford to retire in Maryland,” she said.
She advocated lowering the state’s administrative fees and taxes and allowing Maryland’s small businesses to flourish by getting the bureaucracy out of their way.
“I, too, want ‘common sense’ back in Maryland,” she said. “I will ensure it comes back to Maryland.”
