The 2025–26 school year hasn’t even started in some Maryland counties, and already the state’s top education brass is sending a not-so-subtle message to locally elected school boards: Toe the line, or else.
State Superintendent Carey Wright and State Board of Education President Joshua Michael used a Baltimore press conference this week to remind local boards they are “state officials” and part of a single “Maryland public education system.” Translation: Local voters might elect you, but Annapolis still calls the shots.
It was a calm delivery, sure, but the substance was anything but gentle. The warning was clear—follow state law as interpreted by the state education hierarchy, especially on hot-button topics like Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).
Calvert County: Voters Spoke, Board Listened — State Disapproves
Take Calvert County, for example. Earlier this year, its school board did something radical in today’s climate: it actually listened to its voters. The board voted to remove an anti-racism resolution from the student code of conduct—one drafted in the wake of the George Floyd protests in 2020 but never formally adopted by the board. They also repealed a separate antiracism policy, noting the county already has a comprehensive anti-discrimination policy covering all forms of discrimination.
Board President Jana Post put it plainly: singling out one form of discrimination elevates it above others. That’s not equity—that’s politics. And it’s exactly the kind of commonsense, colorblind approach many Maryland parents have been asking for.
But in the eyes of the state’s education establishment, this is cause for concern. Why? Because it signals that local boards—especially those backed by groups like Project 1776 PAC—might actually exercise independent judgment rather than rubber-stamping the latest ideological directives from Annapolis or Washington.
Somerset County: The State Steps In
Then there’s Somerset County, where the state’s “local boards are state officials” mantra went from theory to strong-arm action.
When the Somerset County Board of Education, also with members backed by Project 1776, sought to make leadership changes—removing Superintendent Ava Tasker-Mitchell and replacing her with former Dorchester County superintendent David Bromwell—the state swooped in.
Wright personally reinstated Tasker-Mitchell for 60 days, then got the State Board to pass an emergency regulation extending her tenure until January 2026 or until a hearing. She even warned the board that failing to comply could mean losing funding—or losing their seats entirely.
This isn’t just oversight. This is the state government deciding it knows better than the local voters who chose their representatives.
The Bigger Picture: Local Control Under Siege
Let’s be clear: Republicans have long championed the idea of local control in education. The people who know a community best—parents, taxpayers, local educators—should set the tone and priorities for their schools. Annapolis should be a resource, not a ruler.
Yet here we are, watching the state use emergency regulations, threats of funding cuts, and the specter of board member removal to override decisions that don’t fit a preferred ideological mold. If a local board removes a politically charged policy but still enforces a strong anti-discrimination framework, the state should respect that decision—not undermine it.
This is the same top-down governance that has eroded trust in public institutions. Parents are tired of seeing education policy filtered through layers of bureaucrats and political agendas before it ever reaches the classroom.
What’s Next for Maryland’s Schools?
The real question is whether local boards and communities will stand firm or fold under state pressure. Groups like Project 1776 PAC clearly see an opening to elect school board members who will prioritize parental rights, transparency, and a return to basics over political theater.
If Annapolis continues to treat every deviation from its script as a crisis, we’re in for more clashes like those in Calvert and Somerset. And maybe that’s exactly what we need—a showdown that forces the state to explain why it’s afraid of school boards acting on behalf of their voters.
Because at the end of the day, education isn’t about pleasing state bureaucrats. It’s about preparing children for the future. And the best way to do that is to keep decision-making as close to home as possible.
Endnotes
- Maryland Reporter – “State education leaders tell local boards to follow state law amid Calvert, Somerset disputes” (August 14, 2025).
- The Baltimore Banner – Coverage of Somerset County Board of Education actions, budget cuts, and superintendent dispute.
- Calvert County Board of Education – Meeting minutes, June 2025, on removal of anti-racism resolution and policy.
- Maryland State Board of Education – Emergency regulation adopted July 23, 2025, regarding superintendent reinstatement authority.
Carol Hughes is a contributor for Direct Line News. She can be reached at Carol.Hughes@mcgopclub.com
Direct Line News is a Maryland-based free-access publication committed to the Republican reform tradition.
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