Several community members and organizational representatives used public comment Tuesday to press the Calvert County Board of Education on inclusion and anti‑racism policy changes, staffing and school safety.

Deborah Harris told the board that removing inclusion and the district’s anti‑racism policy risks undermining progress and widening achievement gaps, saying test results depend on supports for every student. Nancy Krause asked the board to produce evidence supporting the decision to remove “safe space” stickers from schools and said the district should use evidence for all decisions, including safety measures.

Jason Oates, president of the Calvert Education Association, thanked the district for recent staffing restorations and reiterated the union’s request that the board continue to honor negotiated agreements with CEA, CASE and CASA without cutting staff or increasing class sizes. Stacy Tayman, president of the Calvert Association of Educational Support Staff, urged the board to prioritize filling vacant positions, reduce long‑term substitute dependence for paraprofessional roles, and invest in professional learning for support staff.

Chris Banks of the Calvert County NAACP, a retired district educator, told the board there remain concerns about racism and discrimination and asked whether board members are listening to concerns raised by students, staff and parents.

Board policy and personnel decisions were the subject of the public comments; no formal board action followed the public comment period during the meeting.