Mom, advocate, MoCo District 4 BOE candidate! Accountability, Collaboration, Transparency. By Authority: Friends of Laura Stewart. Glenn Orlin, Treasurer
Welcome to my X. I’ve been serving in volunteer leadership positions in PTA and other local boards for over ten years, leading efforts to ensure excellent opportunities for all kids in the county and Maryland. 1/
Many who are engaged in Maryland politics have had to endure constant attacks by
@RyanRMiner
@AMinerDetail
He uses the court system to silence anyone who stands up to him. I am extremely disturbed that Eric Saul is now facing criminal charges for standing up to a bully.
I’m honored to be on the Apple Ballot! I’ve spent many hours with
@mceanea
working to build stronger connections b/w PTA and teachers. We sometimes come at problems from different perspectives but ultimately have the same goal — to enable children reach their potential.
I’m honored to be endorsed by MCEA, MCPSRA, Progressive Neighbors and designated as a Gun Sense Candidate. I’m ready to bring over a decade of experience standing up for student safety, excellent education opportunities, teacher and staff support and progressive values to the BOE
I am NOT going to this forum on March 6th. UARE holds events that are harmful to our diverse community. (see pics) They’re using my image and making $ by implying that I RSVP’d, which I did not. I’ll be attending other free forums.
#mdpolitics
#LGBTQ
#AntiRacism
Hello MoCo! Op budget hearing was enlightening. MCPS should still find efficiencies and show where $’s go, but this much I know - We Can’t Increase Class Sizes. That’s the moral line in the sand. We are not in a recession. We have resources. Do not add to already large classes.
One thing we all can agree on is that our teachers and staff are under tremendous pressure.
Breaking news about the proposed budget will only make their jobs harder —potentially 74 teachers will be laid off (other positions may also have lay-offs) & 1/5
So excited that
@LauraStewartBoe
is in the lead in District 4, with the most votes of any Board of Ed candidate as of today’s tally!
So grateful she has stepped up to lead and we will be lucky to have her helping to run our schools!
#MDpolitics
#MoCo
#MCPS
This was a special day. Thanks to voters for sharing it with me! Thanks to volunteers (including my parents) who stood by me at the polls. And thanks to
@GovWesMoore
for signing HB1147, banning lead and PFAS from playground surfaces!
Last night it was an honor to go to the
@RepRaskin
election kickoff. He is a hero of mine. When the
#bullies
get to me, I think about how he stands up to them and stands up for his values.
#mdpolitics
Onward to the general! Thanks for the support fellow ed advocates 🤗I’ve spent the morning talking to the folks in the trenches of the budget battle. We have a chance to cut some fat and I hope to be able to do that from the board table! If you have ideas, let me know.
Good morning!! It’s been one of the craziest yet satisfying weeks. I started a new tradition of bringing families to Annapolis and I also saw my picture in the
@RollingStone
thanks to our very own M4L candidate
@Bethany4BOE
! BTW her assertions of me are far from the truth! 1/2
Happy 4th Montgomery County! Thanks to my family and friends for coming out, braving heat and even a wayward horse. I enjoyed talking to hundreds of voters today, and students who consistently told me to improve their lunches! Thanks
@ZimmermanforBOE
for teaming up today!
I’ve seen A LOT of mischaracterizations of my past positions! I have a LOT on the record. Here is testimony I gave on school reopening. Please go to MCPS Boardocs library and search for Laura Stewart:
MCPS will have to rescind nearly all 200+ open contracts.
MCPS and County Council need to sit down with those 100 million in MCPS contracts and go over ANY that can be downsized, even temporarily, in order to save some of these jobs. 2/5
We did it! We hit 10k in donations. I am completely humbled and look forward to having conversations all across the county! Email the campaign, I’ll come to you. Friends, thanks for the launch — this clip explains why I decided to run for my district seat.
#mcps
#mdpolitics
Some of you will see posts from a few trolls on this account. I’m not going to respond to them. Some don’t live in MoCo, most use aliases. I will talk to parents and residents that want the best for our kids, as I’ve done for many years. I’ll be updating my website as well! ✌️
County Council approved a budget will result in larger class sizes. This is devastating. We absolutely need more transparency AND we need to keep already large class sizes from growing. If elected, I will ask for transparency and will fight to fund MoCo’s greatest asset - MCPS.
Alt interpretation: Vote for Laura Stewart who works with parents and legislators, supports progressive policies, and knows how to get things done for communities! I just spent 12 hrs in Annapolis connecting parent leaders to their government, empowering them to make pos. change!
We could have avoided this huge expense if our HR dept. had been professionalized instead of a parking place for ex principals and if we had heeded the no confidence votes from 2 major unions. Kim is right, it’s infuriating yet the 1.3 Mil is probably the less expensive option.
And yet teachers can’t get paper or staplers, forget about how much staffing that could fund…though in the end, probably less expensive than litigation and related attorney fees would have been
Another great day in Annapolis advocating for children! I ran into a fellow member of the Md Ed Coalition -HoCo BOE Candidate Cat Carter. She’s a vision advocate and keeps us up to date on bills. I went to testify on Freedom to Read, Fair Share and Water Bottle Filling Stations.
I’m running for the Board of Education because I want to bring a culture of accountability, collaboration, and transparency to the board! I’ve worked with students, teachers, staff, parents, community leaders, and legislators for years to improve outcomes for all. 2/
Happy Passover to everyone celebrating. We had a lovely Seder with family. My thoughts are with those that have family in harm’s way and hope that this festival of freedom brings more peace to the world.
#passover
#PeaceAndLove
🧵I’m in strong support of programs that serve students that would not be able to obtain an adequate education if not funded. After hearing the testimony from MVA participants, it would be devastating to end the program next year. 1/5
It was great visiting the Takoma Park ES and Piney Branch ES Rainbow Club both at Takoma Pride. I am hoping to attend an event to learn more soon. They are happy to share with PTAs on how to get started!
#inclusiveschools
#pride
@MCC_PTA
Pride on the Plaza brought out 100’s! There were great venders, health services, games & amazing performers. I talked to over 200 folks & they are ready to VOTE! If elected, I’ll do my best to serve our diverse student population. Plz RT & give if you can.
Our youth have so much to give to our county and they inspire me every day. We cannot let constant controversies and lack of oversight weaken our system. It’s time for the board to take a more active role. 3/
I had an amazing tour of the
@EASCarpenters
training facility with
@fmahoney
and his colleagues. They provide a top notch apprenticeship program and want to partner with schools to bring in the next generation of tradespeople. I will help foster these opportunities for our kids
CIP and how schools are paid for is something I’ve been involved with for many years. I am for a “kitchen sink” approach with the philosophy that we all pitch in. 1) I am opposed to any impact tax exemptions (all pitch in) but I am for a sliding scale but not down to zero. 1/4
Started the day with folks supporting Youth Creating Change projects, ended my day attending Poolesville’s first Pride Festival! Check out
@cuahmcmd
or
@cuahycc
to see how to get involved as a mentor or as a fellow.
But I am burying the lede! It’s my birthday 🥳 and I am VERY close to raising 10K! This is not your average BOE race. The extreme right wing has their sights on me. MoCo doesn’t need this distraction so celebrate my bday by blocking them from the general!
Brigid, I and other education advocates have had lots of discussions about how MCPS can be more efficient and work more towards serving their students. I would also like to see a student and family navigator office that would help folks get through the bureaucracy.
Issues I think MCPS needs to get a hold on administratively:
1) On the most basic level, a project management team to ensure feasible timelines, meet deadlines, & track progress toward goals (in contrast to the current practice of promising a project & then never delivering).
I’m proud to work with
@guyton42b
as the lead advocate for HB1147, which would prohibit PFAs, Lead and PAH’s from playground surfaces that are publicly funded. Reducing exposure to our youngest will reduce the need for interventions later in life.
I’ve been honored to serve Montgomery County as a tireless, passionate volunteer and I will be just as honored to serve you as an elected member of the Montgomery County Board of Education. Want to help?? Go to and donate at
Amazing
@MoCoRec
Mid County Independence Day celebration tonight! The band and food was great. Nice to be at Einstein HS meeting families, teachers, venders, and some amazing advocates! Ran into
@GoldberginMD
in the middle of the crowd of happy folks :)
🧵I attended the County Council hearing on the latest OIG report. There was clearly a total system failure. From the outside it looked like loyalty and protection of the brand was driving the administration and board culture. 1/8
Congratulations to
@Teresa_Saavedra
on being nominated for the D16 Delegate position after strong forum showings. There were many qualified candidates, but I was especially impressed with
@DianaEConway1
’s opening statement, which was amazingly honest, forthright and inspiring.
I took a break to celebrate 30 years with my husband Rick, which has been 100% supportive of my campaign. Understanding family makes a huge difference when running for office!
I’m disappointed that someone decided to deliver a packet of public records only days before the vote even though they had the info for months. The reporting was detailed to the extent that seemed brutal for max effect. Regardless, we need reform in the vacancy process.
Campaign vs Private account: I had blocked a few people that made me feel unsafe from my private account, which I have had for 15 years. I was as advised to open a campaign account and leave it open to all. My stances are very public in Md.Matters,Moco360,Wapo,county council1/2
💔 for Baltimore right now. My thoughts are with the families of loved ones missing. I’ve worked with many amazing education advocates from the city and they are resilient folks, but we will need to stand by them through the upcoming challenges.
@mostnetwork
@StrongSchoolsMD
I agree, Delegate. I also look forward to working with you and other members of the General Assembly to make the necessary changes that increase oversight and transparency in the school budgeting process.
Brigid and I have been thought partners for many years. She nailed this list! I will be printing it out and sharing it. We’ve sat through too many meetings and felt like we were hearing about an alternate reality. We have a chance to do better by our kids!
I don’t need to be the expert on everything that it takes to run a 3+ billion organization. I need to KNOW experts, listen to their input and push for best practices to better serve our students.
I’m ready to get to work, using my voice to help us work towards more transparency, improved school, system, and board culture, and systems that work for our kids! 8/8
Also — don’t schedule cross country flights on Fridays! You are guaranteed to miss major news. But I’m really excited to visit my son in Seattle for the first time! 🎉
But opaqueness lets anything that is broken fester until it collapses. Ultimately people suffer, especially the kids. If elected, to help improve culture and transparency, I’d
1) Work to make all data now on PDF’s accessible through spreadsheets or an open data platform 5/8
Some of you will see posts from a few trolls on this account. I’m not going to respond to them. Some don’t live in MoCo, most use aliases. I will talk to parents and residents that want the best for our kids, as I’ve done for many years. I’ll be updating my website as well! ✌️
One more topic that came up in the last 2 board meetings that is weighing on my mind is the racist hate speech in our schools. ANY hate speech should be tracked and sent to the board ASAP. It was shocking that the Board was not informed about incident at Wootton. 4/5
@AlexMue72117153
@ericsaul22
👋 Hint: I organized a peaceful counter protest when M4L and Bethany came to my neighborhood to talk about how to fight back against inclusive schools.
After watching the BOE hearings, I agreed with the BOE decisions to extend the MCPS Virtual Learning, extended year at Arcola and the recommended positions. I would also ask for cost saving analysis for the year, like looking at contracts, TPT and chronically vacant positions.
Construction $ wasn’t adequate either. We need to work with our partners at the state & fed level. I promise to fight for our county and to use the $ we have more effectively. We grow our economy by showing employers that we are dedicated to providing a highly educated workforce.
I learned to PTA under Sarah’s Principalship, she was a great partner! Culture change is needed in MCPS and the BOE, but it must start from the top. If there are rumors “swirling” it is up to leadership to do their due diligence to ask questions and look at facts.
As someone who is directly involved in overseeing the management of employee conduct, I think the organization and HR have key roles to play in setting the tone.
However, at the end of the day, what we accept is what we expect.
The fastest way to damage morale in your team,
This is heartbreaking! I don’t know the details of these assaults, but a full review of safety failures are needed. I will propose 1) School safety and climate teams to include staff, parents, students and providers to develop school safety plans to be submitted to the Super 1/5
Another assault took place today at school, except this time at Watkins Mill Elementary School… an 8-year-old was beaten in the head by another student in the playground & became unresponsive. He was taken to a trauma center with injuries that are not life-threatening.
#MCPS
@hansriemer
I’m convinced that the decision makers in government could have come together to figure out how to fund a same services budget. I believe that leadership instability, breach of trust, lack of clear communication, and budget opaqueness early on in the process lead to bad outcomes.
@PotomacPeck
@RyanRMiner
@EricSaul
@TakomaTorch
I think we can all agree — it’s not a boring school board race. Can you imagine criminal charges for every Twitter spat bound to happen in this race? We’d have lines outside the commissioner’s office. Now back to the education issues, our kids deserve it.
Fought for three years to restore local revenue to the capital budget — saving more delays, prioritized adding MCPS to the MoCo OIG and put that as its own line in advocacy, helped kick off a new way for parents to communicate with MCPS on construction projects, to name a few.
@D_avidFogel
I’m open to ideas, but would like for the state to step in and create a public VA. My position today is that it is too late in the year to make the decision for FY25. There should always be lead time for families when forcing a change in schools, which is sometimes necessary.
2) State should replace Built to Learn funds 3) Federal needs to step up 4) Move to a progressive Property Tax and slice off a small portion for capital projects for a steadier funding solution 5)Progressive recordation tax b/c it covers growth from turnover but 2/4
Protocols must be put in place to respond quickly to these incidents. Central office, the superintendent, and the BOE should visit schools that have egregious incidents in order to listen to students, staff, & families. I thank students & families for speaking out at the BOE. 5/5
I went to all 5 regional service centers to participate in Community Conversations, mainly to listen to county-wide concerns about youth engagement and safety concerns.
@CM_Sayles
and her team did an outstanding job. The big question is how we connect youth to svcs and careers.
Our youth will be the ones who will be adversely affected by these cuts. It will take some give and take but I know we can find a way to keep most of these positions.
Please share this information. Budgets are boring and complicated, but it’s our money in the end. 5/5
Full disclosure, I have received a donation from Diana Conway (and other applicants) and have worked with her on environmental issues. I have also worked with Melissa Bender who has been extremely helpful in pushing for ed reform, out of school enrichment and Universal Meals.
3) Ask for a review of qualifications for key positions in central office, especially the Title IX coordinator. 4) Review Boardocs to ensure that all data presented and answers to board member’s questions are posted and easy to access & ensure County Council ?’s are answered 7/8
@AaronDrol
@ShebraEvans
@Bethany4BOE
I supported the Burden of Proof Bill, testified for it last year and included it in an official advocacy plan for Free State PTA. I would be an active advocate at the BOE. I also was a supporter of the bill to cover parent’s fees that passed last year.
2) Ask to implement school safety and climate teams that include staff, parents, and students to develop school safety and climate action plans. These plans would be submitted to the Superintendent with prioritized needs that would be considered in budgeting. 6/8
Montgomery College is a treasure, we should continue partnerships including deploying students as ambassadors into middle school and early HS classrooms / assemblies. They could also serve as mentors. Our rec department has amazing programs and could do the same.
I’m dismayed that this info. on the true impact was ONLY just revealed. In order to negotiate in good faith, in my opinion, this analysis was needed weeks ago. We also haven’t seen the breakdown of 100 mil in MCPS contracts. I wish Dr. Felder would have made that a priority. 4/5
@CourtneyBEvans
I would not vote to put the MVA on the chopping block. The lack of notice to families is unacceptable. At the very least, the families that are in the MVA today should have access next year, only 2.5 months away.
The BOE needs to be as transparent as possible, hold advisors accountable so they get the right advice on open meetings, fully embrace open data, and ensure that the county council has overly detailed information so that the council can make fully informed decisions. 3/5
I’ve shared all of these stances throughout the last few years. My YIMBY friends don’t like that I’m not for exemptions and some of my PTA friends don’t like that I wasn’t for moratoriums or a sliding scale for impact taxes. BOE doesn’t make ANY of these decisions, but 3/4
I also ask that CREA (night school for certification and GDE) be adequately staffed and supported with health services, which would affect the budget minimally. Special education programs need to be properly staffed and I would like to see more Grow Your Own programs. 2/5
More about me - Current Positions:
Montgomery County Women’s Democratic Club (WDC) Board (and past Prez)
Dem Party Precinct Chair
Communities United Against Hate VP
Safe Healthy Playing Fields Board
Maryland Ed. Coalition Policy Committee Co-Chair
@JHWeissmann
BOE is a nonpartisan race but I am actually a Democrat, and served as the Montgomery County Women’s Democratic Club Prez and as a Precinct Chair. I have also served in nonpartisan positions and have listened to and supported many families.
they do need to be part of the discussion because we have a scarcity problem and we should try to contribute to the solution, working with the decision makers. 4/4
The county council should also identify any downsizing in their projects, like the JOBS program. We don’t need to eliminate programs, but we do need to scrape together a way to support many of these potentially RIF’d (reduction in force) positions. 3/5
@Ryan_Murphy1
@ericsaul22
@BarryJRockville
Hello Ryan! I like and respect Evans, but I decided to run after I read the latest 2 OIG reports. As an advocate, I’ve been pushing MCPS to be more transparent for years. In fact, I advocated strongly as the PTA VP for Advocacy for the very OIG that was able to do the report. 1/2
Another kid shouted out and no adult responded, while I ran across the field. I got there and stopped the situation b4 injury. The play area was hard to manage due to portables splitting it in half. These types of configs should be considered for staffing. Just one example! 5/5
Also: Virtual academy is on the chopping block. Please check out the February 20th testimony on how this would affect current participants if it is unwound now.
@RosalindAimeeH
@Dawn_LCPC
Hello, I think there has been a misunderstanding. I have never had a fake FB page or have joined a M4L chap. group. I never posted meeting locations on X. I never called for rage or violence. I did post public testimony and quoted you 2x, once w/o your name, once with first only.
@beansi50
Current Positions:
Montgomery County Women’s Democratic Club (WDC) Board Member (And past Prez)
Democratic Party Precinct Chair
Communities United Against Hate VP
Safe Healthy Playing Fields Board Member
Maryland Education Coalition Policy Committee Co-Chair