Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R). (Katherine Frey/The Washington Post)

By Ovetta Wiggins

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan vetoed three education bills Thursday, including a measure that would have expanded the State Board of Education to include a parent and two teachers who would be appointed by the state teachers union.

Hogan (R) called that bill a “crude attempt” to diminish the authority of the board by “packing it with appointees that represent the interest of lobbyists.” Another bill, he said, would make it more difficult for the state Department of Education to remove “high-
level employees who are ineffectual, incompetent and who simply aren’t getting the job done.”

He said the measures were flawed and would “weaken accountability in Maryland schools.”

State Sen. Richard S. Madaleno Jr. (D-Montgomery), who is seeking the Democratic nomination for governor in the June 26 primary, sponsored the bill to expand the state school board. He called Hogan’s veto “outrageous” and a “baldfaced attempt to hide his own partisanship.”

Madaleno said the governor’s refusal to add more members to the board is counter to pushing for more accountability.

“We really need more representation of all of the involved parties on our State Board of Education, and parents and teachers are directly impacted by changes in school policies,” Madaleno said in a statement. “It only makes sense to want them to have a say in policy decisions.”

Del. Eric D. Ebersole (D-Howard), a former teacher who was another lead sponsor on the bill to add two teachers and a parent to the board, said he plans to introduce the measure again next year.

One of the other vetoed bills changed the definition and categories of employees in the state Education Department and in local school systems. The measure dealing with the local districts would affect labor negotiations.

Via Washington Post

Below are some of the reactions on social media including Facebook and twitter. 

Leslie Downs Ok people. Before you get your knickers in a knot…. read the bills!! The liberal left sneaking in garbage again

Jim Leonard Good for the Governor. It is a horrible idea to have the union essentially create school policy.

Maria Ialacci The unions always have been a problem in tbe school system. They want to spread the liberal garbage to our children. I am so glad that I do not have children in this day and age. Parents are responsible for their children . Most parents use teachers as if they are a babysitting service.

Max Barron This idea that letting the teachers union appoint two teachers, and that those teachers will somehow represent the monolithic view of all teachers statewide is an insult to smart voters. They would instead represent the views of the lobbying group (i.e., the union) that appointed them.

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