Teachers union and school board oppose shifting school‑board appointments to Senate; McCray proposes compensation amendment

Members of the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners and the Baltimore Teachers Union urged the City Senate delegation to reconsider Senate Bill 554, which would eliminate the current community nominating panel and require full Senate confirmation for appointed Baltimore school board members.

Dujuana Merritt Sturett, executive director for legislative and government affairs at the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners, said no other local Maryland school board requires Senate confirmation and warned that confirmation timing during the General Assembly could leave vacancies during critical budget work. She said the board had not taken a formal position but offered concerns about recruitment and process.

Christina Duncan Evans of the Baltimore Teachers Union said the community panel provides a breadth of representation — labor, students, parents, civil rights and disability advocates — that would be lost under SB 554 and urged the delegation to preserve inclusive, subject‑matter representation.

Senator McCray said recruitment difficulties had motivated him to draft an amendment to compensate board members $10,000 annually (excluding the student member), which he estimated would total about $120,000 annually for the board; he said he would consult the school system and counsel before advancing the proposal.

Delegation members asked how the current community panel publicizes its meetings and noted that appointments by mayors do not preclude soliciting community input; witnesses said the panel’s meetings are subject to the Open Meetings Act and that the Mayor’s Office of Children and Family Services handles posting and notices.

The delegation did not vote on SB 554; sponsors will continue to refine amendments and consult stakeholders.