As reported by the Frederick News-Post, a letter of concern from superintendents regarding the use of the Board of Public Works as a forum to advance political agendas has elicited a response from the Maryland Comptroller, one of the three members of the Board.
Theresa Alban sent a letter to Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr. and House Speaker Michael E. Busch about concerns with the Board of Public Works school appeal process, where counties appear to request funding each year.
Alban is the Superintendent of the Frederick County Public Schools and President of the Public School Superintendents Association of Maryland (PSSAM). The letter was sent on behalf of the Association, which represents all local superintendents. The letter says,
Our experience has been that the members of the BPW often do not question the construction projects but use the time as a forum to advance political agendas such as financial literacy, declining enrollment, communications to parents, post-labor day starts, charter school approvals, and other instructional or operational issues.
According to the Frederick News-Post,
On Wednesday, Franchot called the request an affront to transparency and an attempt to move hundreds of millions of dollars in school construction funding decisions to a little-known committee. He said the letter was the “most offensive” he’s received in office.
The Comptroller’s office sent a four-page reply to Alban.
