At each Baltimore County Board of Education meeting, CASE has three minutes to present information to the board in the interest of our organization. The following is a transcript from one of those meetings.

Members of the Board,

In October 1991, a confluence of weather conditions combined to form a killer storm in the North Atlantic. Caught in the storm was the sword-fishing boat Andrea Gail. This experience where about everything that could go wrong, did, was characterized in the movie: The Perfect Storm.

I would suggest that the Baltimore County Public School system is in the midst of a confluence of factors which is creating our own “perfect storm”.

• Recent criminal guilty pleas by high ranking system officials that has eroded both public and school board confidence and has seemingly created distrust of all, as a result of the actions of a few.
• Collateral damage to our school system as a result of the political war of words between the governor and the county executive
• Some local politicians taking potshots at the school system leadership to garner votes in this election year
• No shortage of inaccurate information on posts and blogs
• A lame duck School Board with clearly apparent divisiveness on many issues
• An interim superintendent while the Board searches for a permanent superintendent

There are more, but you get the idea…

Tonight, you will discuss and vote on a technology contract. Did you get necessary information in a timely fashion? Do you ignore the open, transparent, and representative process that was used to choose the product and vendor? Do you just flat out distrust the BCPS staff? Only you know the answers to this.

Here is what I know: The online platform is how business is conducted in BCPS today. Grading and reporting, parent communication, and curriculum access all require this technology.

And just as important, this contract is a social justice issue. Students of all socio-economic levels deserve the same access to technology.

Leadership during a perfect storm is difficult at best. Indecisiveness and poor decisions can prove costly, and spoiler alert: The captain of the Andrea Gail made poor decisions that proved disastrous.

The students, parents, teachers, and administrators are looking for leadership from this Board. You are all smart people…figure it out, and please use your remaining tenure to work collaboratively for the entire Baltimore County community.

Thank you.