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Public commenters push Harford County board on leadership departures, curriculum and teacher pay
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Summary
During public comment the Harford County board heard calls for transparency about recent leadership departures, criticism of curriculum materials and concern about teacher pay versus superintendent compensation; commenters also urged support for specific school leaders and changes to instructional materials.
Several members of the public used the board’s public-comment period to press the Harford County Board of Education on recent personnel departures, curriculum choices and pay priorities.
Cassandra Beverly, speaking for the Harford County Caucus of African American Leaders, praised a principal she identified as having driven measurable gains at a Title I school and urged the board to support leaders who close achievement gaps. "Over the 26 years that [the principal] has devoted to Harford County Public Schools, he has demonstrated his commitment," Beverly said, noting increases she described in reading, math and early literacy and declines in chronic absenteeism.
Speakers from other groups raised different concerns. William Martino of Moms for Liberty (Harford County) criticized prior leadership and learning materials, saying the district should return to "traditional academics" and remove certain units of study he said had produced poor results. "With a new superintendent, new board members ... it is time to seize the opportunity and right the ship," Martino said.
Gary Johnson demanded greater transparency about the recent departures of several senior staffers and asked whether an outside investigation was warranted. "Only a thorough investigation by an outside agency ... will bring the cleansing that this scandal requires," he said.
Megan Baker (virtual) focused on compensation priorities, saying the district’s previous superintendent had been paid nearly $300,000 a year while the county had not reached the state's $60,000 minimum teacher-salary benchmark. "If Harford County has the money to pay a superintendent almost $300,000 a year, but cannot pay the teachers a livable wage ... that is a problem," Baker said.
Board leadership repeatedly reminded speakers that personnel matters and naming specific staff are restricted in public comment. The chair interrupted several speakers to enforce the rule and staff clarified that personnel issues are considered private and not appropriate for public discussion during this forum.
Interim Superintendent Dr. Mack told the board the district will launch a superintendent-search survey the next day and hold public forums for finalists; the superintendent's office will solicit broad community input as the district seeks a permanent replacement.
The board took no formal action tied directly to the public comments at the meeting; it proceeded to approve administrative candidate pools later in the agenda and adjourned.
