Education officials address ‘pervasive,’ ‘offensive’ and ‘ludicrous’ statements made at polls on Election Day

Voters fill out their ballots at the polling place at Edgewood Elementary School during the general election on Tuesday. Brian Krista/Staff

Howard County Education Association President Benjamin Schmitt and Board of Education Chair Jen Mallo addressed statements made by people electioneering at Howard County polling sites on Tuesday. Mallo said the statements were false and surrounded with “ludicrous, egregious maliciousness.”

“It was not a one-off thing,” she said at Thursday’s Board of Education meeting. “It was pervasive and it was offensive.”

Schmitt, who leads the union representing Howard County teachers, said the political environment leading up to Election Day was filled with lies, misinformation and hatred.

He noted that the school board was told by community members that “they are promoting a ‘woke religion’ and pornography” and the board had been lobbied to remove pride flags from schools.

At the polls on Election Day, Schmitt said some individuals who were electioneering told voters that gender reassignment surgeries are being conducted in schools.

“These accusations are not only false but distract from our true mission — educating and supporting all students,” Schmitt said. “As leaders, it’s our duty to set the record straight and ensure our community understands that our schools provide education, not medical interventions, and foster acceptance, not promotion of any particular identity or ideology.”

Mallo reaffirmed that surgeries are definitely not happening in schools, saying “surgery is the most unrealistic thing imaginable.”

Schmitt encouraged using the comments as teaching moments, emphasizing celebrating differences and respecting each other’s opinions while pushing back against misinformation. There’s a responsibility to foster an inclusive environment for all students, Schmitt said, who should be able to explore various viewpoints through education, which sets them up for success in society.

“We must accept the current state of affairs, but not by ostracizing those we don’t agree with, and that includes those that look, think and feel different,” Schmitt said. “Let that be what unites us in moving forward to create the world we want for our students and ourselves.”

The school system observed LGBTQ+ History Month in October, which Mallo said added to the impact of the negative and untrue comments recently.

“And so it’s particularly poignant that that was where a large part of the fear-mongering came in during elections,” Mallo said. “And regardless of the outcomes, folks, stick up for our kids. This is our family, these students and staff are our family.”

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