State school board is failing students by not failing them

Despite all the discussion, if our children cannot do math or read and write, we are not meeting the goals of the education system.

The new literacy policy regarding holding children back or letting them proceed to the next grade despite their inability to read is a copout. As stated, “The K-3 policy originally required that students repeat third grade if they couldn’t read at grade level, but a revised version allows families to seek a waiver that would allow their child to be promoted to the fourth grade” (“4 takeaways from Maryland school board meeting, including literacy, test scores, cellphones, pre-K,” Sept. 24).

Of course the parents will opt to have the child promoted to fourth grade but will they actually participate in the education process to help their children? That’s the big question that will determine success or failure of the program.

When it comes to parent engagement, Maryland Superintendent of Schools Carey Wright “said the plan is a parent-choice policy, not a retention policy. For Xiomara Medina, a new board member, when it comes to parent choice, there are concerns about a lack of parent engagement.”

This is an admission of failure to achieve the teaching goal and is an easy way out rather than actually admit a failure of the teaching system. Children will be promoted without the educational skills required in life and their failure will be the direct result of the decisions made by the state board today in our time. Let’s not fail our children. They deserve better.

— Stas Chrzanowski, Baltimore

Trump and GOP pose threat to freedom

In his recent commentary, George Liebmann proclaims that the only freedom to which the Democrats subscribe is that of reproductive rights (“Democrats’ promise of ‘freedom’ has been a disaster,” Sept. 26).

Those concerned about the future of rights in America should consider the threat to civil rights and personal freedoms should Republicans gain power. Our right to vote, our right to love and marry whom we wish, our right to contraception, our right to read what we wish and our right to objective study of our nation’s history are examples of personal freedoms that will be in jeopardy under Donald Trump and a Republican Congress.

They, and even certain members of the U.S. Supreme Court, have been very clear about their intentions in this regard.

— Charles W. Mitchell, Parkton

Maryland should move cautiously on Chesapeake Bay ferry plan

A consortium of five Maryland counties — Anne Arundel, Calvert, St. Mary’s, Somerset and Queen Anne’s — has proposed a new Chesapeake Bay passenger-only ferry boat service to help increase tourism and economic development in Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay region (“Chesapeake Bay ferry system would boost economic growth but operate at a loss in first year,” Aug. 19).

The consortium envisions a fleet of passenger-only ferries connecting Annapolis, Baltimore, Kent Island, Easton, Cambridge, Rock Hall, St. Michaels, Oxford, Chestertown, Tilghman Island, Betterton, Havre de Grace, Solomons Island, Chesapeake Beach, Northeast, Leonardtown, Salisbury, Galesville and Crisfield. To date, federal government funds spent or allocated on this proposal exceed $4,145,000. That figure includes a $250,000 federal grant to the consortium for a feasibility study and a $3,895,000 federal grant to consortium member Anne Arundel County.

In their grant application, Anne Arundel County officials requested $8 million. They now plan to apply the approved $3,895,000 in grant funds to help fund the launch of a new ferry service exclusively between Baltimore, Annapolis and Kent Island. The consortium will no doubt need and seek more local, state, and federal government funds going forward.

Have any members of the consortium spoken with or plan to speak with current Chesapeake Bay tour boat owners and operators about whether and how a new ferry system operated by a public-private partnership may impact their business? Have any members of the consortium spoken with or plan to speak with owners and operators of Chesapeake Bay recreational fishing tour charter boats on if and how they may expand their services to meet increased public demand for Bay tours as identified in the consortium’s feasibility study?

This a perfect time to do so as owners and operators of recreational fishing charter boats are facing measurable declines in their operations resulting from new government regulations limiting the size and number of striped bass (rockfish) that can be caught by clients of recreational fishing charter boats.

Answers to these questions are critical in helping to ensure more fully informed decisions are reached on whether this proposed ferry system is the best way to boost tourism and economic development in Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay region.

— David Reel, Easton