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March 20, 2023

The Chestertown Spy

An Educational News Source for Chestertown Maryland

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Spy Highlights

NYT Report Details Yearlong Firestorm Over Queen Anne’s School Superintendent’s Note on Racism

October 11, 2021 by Spy Desk

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In a front-page article in Monday’s print edition, the New York Times details the firestorm that erupted in Queen Anne’s County last year after the county school superintendent emailed parents a note about racism following the in-custody murder of George Floyd by a police officer.

“Racism is alive in our country, our state, in Queen Anne’s County, and our schools,” Dr. Andrea Kane, the county’s first black school superintendent, wrote in the June 5, 2020, letter.

The email led to the creation of a Facebook group seeking Kane’s ouster, the posting of racist comments, and the election of school board members opposed to Kane, the Times reported.

According to the report:

“Over the last year, the protests and reflection prompted by Mr. Floyd’s death reverberated in school districts throughout the country, as school boards and legislatures reconsidered how and what students should learn about race and racism, from the history of slavery and segregation to the Black Lives Matter movement.

“The debate has sometimes focused on K-12 curriculums after conservative activists began branding a range of topics including history lessons and diversity initiatives as ‘critical race theory,’ an academic framework that views racism as ingrained in law and other modern institutions. The term is now often deployed to attack any discussion of race and racism in American classrooms — pitting educators who feel obligated to teach the realities of racism against predominantly white parents and politicians who believe that schools are forcing white children to feel ashamed of their race and country.”

Filed Under: Spy Highlights Tagged With: andrea kane, black lives matter, board of education, Education, George Floyd, queen anne's county, superintendent

QA’s School Board Names Janet Pauls as Acting Superintendent

October 31, 2020 by Spy Desk

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Janet Pauls, a retired longtime Queen Anne’s County educator, has been named acting superintendent of Queen Anne’s County Public Schools.

The Queen Anne’s County Board of Education made the announcement during its Oct. 28 work session.

Janet Pauls

Pauls will serve as acting superintendent until Dr. Andrea Kane returns from sick leave.

Pauls began her 43-year career in Queen Anne’s schools as a teacher at Stevensville Middle School in 1977 teaching 5th, 7th, and 8th grade.

Since then she has served as interim assistant superintendent, as well as teacher specialist, supervisor of instruction, principal at two schools, and program director of teacher leadership development.

She retired from QACPS in June 2020.

Pauls will attend her first school board meeting on Nov. 4.

Filed Under: Ed Homepage Tagged With: acting superintendent, andrea kane, janet pauls, queen anne's county, school board, schools, sick leave, superintendent

Report: QA’s Schools Chief Out on Sick Leave

October 28, 2020 by Spy Desk

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According to The Baltimore Sun:

“The reason Queen Anne’s County schools superintendent Andrea M. Kane has been absent from her job since Oct. 9 is that she has been on sick leave, a spokesman for the county superintendent’s office said Tuesday.

“’The Queen Anne’s County Board of Education has Dr. Kane’s doctor’s notes for sick leave,’ the spokesman, John White, said in an email Tuesday to The Baltimore Sun.”

The school board is holding a work session at 5 p.m. today, which includes an update on the school system’s recovery plan. The meeting will be broadcast live at qac.org/live.

Tonight’s work session agenda also lists a closed session to discuss personnel issues, negotiations, an administrative function, and to get legal advice.

The board’s next regular meeting is set for Nov. 4.

Filed Under: Ed Homepage Tagged With: andrea kane, Education, queen anne's county, schools, superintendent

Md. Senate Quickly, and Unanimously, Confirms Shore Native as State Police Superintendent

March 15, 2020 by Maryland Matters

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In a whirlwind series of events on Friday, Maryland’s newest superintendent of state police was confirmed by the Maryland Senate at what is likely a record-setting pace.

In an extraordinary move, the Senate recessed around 6 p.m. to allow members of the Senate Executive Nominations Committee to meet in the chamber to hold a hearing on Republican Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr.’s nominee for superintendent of state police, Woodrow W. “Jerry” Jones III.

Sen. Adelaide C. Eckardt, R-37-Mid-Shore, whose sons went to pre-kindergarten with Jones, called the nominee “an outstanding role model for all of us” and praised his decision-making, organizational skills and professionalism.

Col. Woodrow W. “Jerry” Jones III, the new superintendent of the State Police. State government photo

Jones, a career state trooper, became chief of the Maryland Transportation Authority Police, the seventh-largest law enforcement agency in the state, in November 2015. The 600-person agency polices Maryland’s toll roads, tunnels, and bridges, as well as BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport and the Port of Baltimore.

Jones began his law enforcement career in 1988 as a Maryland State Police cadet. During his 27-year tenure with the Maryland State Police, he spent equal time in both patrol and investigative roles, and served in every command position within the Field Operations Bureau. He retired as Lieutenant Colonel/Field Operations Bureau Chief, a key member of the command staff responsible for leading a patrol force of nearly 1,000 sworn and civilian personnel assigned to 22 barracks.

Jones holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in management from Johns Hopkins University and is a graduate of its Police Executive Leadership Program. He chairs the Maryland Chiefs of Police Association’s Traffic Safety Committee and serves on the Executive Committee for Maryland’s Strategic Highway Safety.

The Senate committee had planned to hold a hearing on Monday for Jones, who was nominated in mid-February.

But that changed with a tweet and a press release from Hogan around 5 p.m., when he called for the General Assembly to curtail its workload to focus on a narrow band of priorities ― including passing a budget and confirming the superintendent by Tuesday.

Governor Larry Hogan

✔@GovLarryHogan

 · 15h

With Maryland in a state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the legislature’s sole focus should be those measures immediately necessary to protect the public health and safety of Marylanders. The General Assembly must take these three actions no later than Tuesday:

Governor Larry Hogan

✔@GovLarryHogan

1) Approve the FY21 budget to assure the government remains open and functioning.
2) Confirm Colonel Woodrow J. Jones as Superintendent of the Maryland State Police.
3) Pass the emergency legislation to address the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in our state.

5:01 PM – Mar 13, 2020

“Unfortunately, the governor put out a news release. Certainly would have preferred a call,” Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) said from the rostrum. “In this time of heightened anxiety, it’s really easy for miscommunication to happen. And I think this is one of those moments where tempers can be high. Now more than ever, we have to find ways to work together.”

For that reason, Ferguson said, the chamber would undergo a swift change, from sitting as the Senate to sitting in the Senate as spectators while the Executive Nominations Committee met on the floor, their staff now at the rostrum.

Sen. Ronald N. Young (D-Frederick), chairman of Executive Nominations, convened the meeting and read a short biography of Jones.

Ferguson then spoke to “strongly endorse” Jones’ nomination and move for his approval.

“Given this moment of uncertainty in Maryland, it’s important that we have acting officials who have the experience they need to keep this state safe,” Ferguson said. “The Senate has a responsibility to move forward at this time.”

Senate Minority Leader J.B. Jennings (R-Harford) said the state needed a leader in uncertain times and someone who could “bring about a feeling of calmness.”

“And I think he without a doubt would be the guy to do it,” Jennings said.

With that, the committee voted unanimously in favor of Jones’ nomination, and the full Senate was being gaveled back into session.

Moments later, the committee’s “Report No. 8,” clearly preprinted pending the outcome, was being distributed to the Senators’ desks.

In a matter of moments, the vote was called. As the electronic voting board lit up green on the sides of the chamber, Ferguson took a moment to explain his vote.

“Now, more than ever, Maryland must be united, must be united and work together,” he said.

Jones was confirmed by a 45-0 vote at 6:18 p.m.

By Danielle E. Gaines and Josh Kurtz

Filed Under: Maryland News Tagged With: jerry jones, Maryland, senate, state police, superintendent

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