MD Teachers Rally For School Funding, Urge Veto Override

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Teachers renewed their call for education reform on Wednesday. Maryland lawmakers made progress last year, passing a multi-billion school bill.

The legislation, however, does not explain where the money would come from. Gov. Larry Hogan (R) vetoed the proposal last May, questioning if the state could afford it.

"The economic fallout from this pandemic simply makes it impossible to fund any new programs," Hogan wrote in his veto letter.

With legislators returning to Annapolis this week, the state teachers union urged policymakers to override Hogan's veto. The Maryland State Education Association renewed this push at a distanced protest near the statehouse.

"Our schools were understaffed then, they're understaffed now and our educators are underpaid," union President Cheryl Bost said, surrounded by cardboard cutouts of students. "Understaffing makes it extremely hard to deliver quality education on a good day, let alone during a pandemic."

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Maryland teachers earn 84 cents for every dollar made by their peers with similar education in related fields, the coalition supporting the bill noted. About half of all new educators stop teaching by their third year, the group added.

The vetoed legislation may fix these problems. The bill, called the Blueprint for Maryland's Future, would add merit-based raises for the state's teachers.

If passed, educators would collect pay increases if they attain a national certification, complete a master's degree or become a distinguished principal. The blueprint would also raise the state's minimum teacher salary to $60,000 by 2026. These benefits hope to retain quality instructors.

"The 2021 session has to be where we refuse to balance our economic woes on the back of Gov. Hogan and choose to invest in the future that we want to see," Shamoyia Gardiner, deputy director of Strong Schools Maryland, said at the rally.

Critics worry the price tag is just too high. Still, teachers may have enough votes to override the veto. To overcome the governor, the blueprint would need to pass each chamber with a 60 percent majority.

The bill originally cleared the House with 70 percent of the vote. It was even more popular in the Senate, where it won 80 percent approval.

Republicans who were on board last year are more hesitant this time around. They argue that it would be irresponsible to spend that much money after losing revenue to the pandemic.

"There’s so much uncertainty," Senate Minority Whip Michael Hough (R-Frederick County) told Maryland Matters, adding that he believes the veto will stand. "In the middle of a pandemic, I think now’s the time that we need to be fiscally conservative."

Supporters instead insist that the blueprint will help Marylanders when they need it most. With an upended social life, many students have battled loneliness and depression.

The plan could benefit these learners with its annual commitment to mental and behavioral health. By 2026, the state would spend $125 million on these resources each year.

Along with building support systems, the legislation would fund more public and private pre-K options. It would also develop college and career readiness programs.

If passed, the blueprint would require yearly grants to counties to help them make these changes. This portion would cost $519 million between 2022 and 2029.

"The blueprint is the right plan," Bost said. "It is our path forward for the future. It is how we will get out of this challenging time."

A copy of the blueprint is available at this link. To track the bill's progress, click here.

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