In the lobby of the Nancy S. Grasmick State Education Building, smiling photos of archenemies, Gov. Martin O?Malley and State Superintendent of Schools Grasmick, welcome visitors and staff. The protocol is funny, because none of it is exercised outside the building.
It should be ? for the sake of the state?s 851,640 public school students.
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And O?Malley is the one who needs to act like the leader we the people elected him to be. Instead of undermining the authority of the state Board of Education, he must accept its decision to reappoint her for another four-year term. So must state legislative leaders, who are threatening to clarify the appointment process when they return to session in January. Who cares if O?Malley holds a grudge against her for seizing chronically failing Baltimore City schools when he was mayor?
Just because O?Malley does not like Grasmick does not mean that his timing should be hers or the board?s. If it were up to him, she would have been kicked out like Alison Asti, the former executive director of the Maryland Stadium Authority, who was fired for political reasons earlier this year.
This is not to say we do not criticize Grasmick?s decisions or question why she wants to spend four more years in office. After 16 years, her record should stand on its own.
But the board exists for a purpose. And that?s to insulate, at least by one layer, the appointment of state school superintendents from the whims of those in power.
O?Malley can appoint members to the state Board of Education. What he must not do, with the help of legislative allies, is dictate to the board the outcome of its votes. If that is the case, what?s the point of the board? If and when Democrats lose power, they will appreciate the structure.
We know O?Malley is capable of the grand gesture. As mayor he pushed through a huge raise for Patricia Jessamy, the Baltimore City state?s attorney who was a thorn in his side throughout his administration over police tactics.
A grand gesture is needed here ? as much more is at stake than rivalries. Starting next year, Maryland students must pass four state tests to graduate. If the two people in charge of education in the state can?t agree on anything, including state standards ? what message does that send to Maryland?s students? Does he want to win more than he wants students to succeed?
Let this one go, O?Malley. You have much bigger battles to fight ? including the one convincing taxpayers that raising taxes in these troubling economic times will improve our quality of life.
