State Delegates Clash Over School Board Selection

State Del. Frank Turner (D-Howard) is rallying around legislation that would regulate how Howard County school board members are selected.

The legislation comes within months of residents that the seven-member board doesn't represent Howard County geographically, socioeconomically or racially.

Turner held a press conference on Sept. 27 to publicize his proposal that the seven-member Howard County Board of Education be a mix of elected and appointed officials.

But not all delegates see it the same way. 

“In Baltimore County, everyone is appointed—and in my opinion, there’s no accountability,” said State Del. James Malone (D-Baltimore/Howard), speaking at the Greater Elkridge Community Association's Sept. 22 meeting. 

Currently, seven members sit on the Howard County Board of Education, elected by popular vote in staggered four-year terms.

Turner’s bill followed the , a panel that County Executive Ken Ulman created this summer after .

The legislation would mandate the appointment of two school board members by the county executive, with the other five elected by district.

"To me, that’s not an elected school board," said Malone, speaking about the issue at the Greater Elkridge Community Association last week. "To me, we’re going backward."

There are no term limits outlined in the legislation, but the Howard County Times reported that is a point of contention. The commission voted to institute single four-year term caps, said the article. 

“Maybe what we need to take a serious look at is doing the school board elections exactly like they do the county council and draw something up similar to that,” said Malone.

On Oct. 11, the on the bill at 7:30 p.m.