Petition drive from senators Greenip and Simonaire to place the school board reform legislation on the ballot for the 2008 election

From: Senator Janet Greenip [mailto:Janet.Greenip@senate.state.md.us]
Sent: Thursday, May 03, 2007 10:48 AM
To: Janet.Greenip@senate.state.md.us
Subject: Anne Arundel County Elected School Board Petition Drive

Dear Friend,

During this past session, I co-sponsored SB 28 (sponsored by Senator Bryan Simonaire) which would have change the Anne Arundel County Board of Education to an elected board beginning in 2010. Despite my strong support and endorsement for this overdue change in how school board members are selected, this important bill did not receive a favorable report in the Anne Arundel County delegation.

Instead of passing our bill, the Anne Arundel Legislative Delegations passed HB 1114, a bill which puts the selection of the School Board into the hands of a few people. Under current law, the Governor appoints members that are nominated by the Nominating Convention. This new legislation requires the Governor to choose a nominee from a select Commission. The Governor appoints 5 of the 11 members of this new commission, the County Executive appoints one and there are five spots reserved for the Teacher’s Association, one of Anne Arundel County’s Chambers of Commerce, Anne Arundel Community College Board of Trustees, Association of Education Leaders, and the Anne Arundel Parent-Teacher Association. These appointed school board members will only face a “yes or no” vote for continuance in office after they are in place. There is no real electoral say in who represents us and our children on the county school board.

Because of this, concerned citizens of Anne Arundel County, led by Senator Simonaire and myself, are collecting signatures on a petition to place HB 1114 on the ballot for the 2008 election. We want to overturn this legislation and go back to work to get an Elected School Board. We need to give the taxpayers of Anne Arundel County a real say in who is on the school board.

Attached are the two sides of the petition document that must be printed on one piece of paper. All signatures must be from Anne Arundel County voters. Do not sign and date the bottom of the page until you are ready to send it in. If these instructions are not followed all signatures on that sheet will be invalid. Print as many as you would like and return the signed petitions sheets to Senator Bryan Simonaire’s office, information listed below.

We need nearly 19,000 Anne Arundel resident signatures by June 20^th, but must also have 10,000 by May 23^rd. If you can return them as you fill them it will give us an idea of our progress and how much further we have to go.

Mail petitions to:

Senator Bryan Simonaire
Miller Senate Office Building, Room 401
11 Bladen St.
Annapolis, MD 21401

Also, please visit http://www.voteonschoolboard.com/ for information and to volunteer for door-to-door and shopping center efforts.

Thank you for your time. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Janet Greenip
Senator, Legislative District 33