Harford County school board allows student to attend closed session on superintendent candidates and moves into closed session

The Harford County Public Schools board on May 19 moved into a closed session to consult with counsel about selecting a superintendent candidate and voted 6–4 to permit a student member to attend that closed session.

Board members first debated whether to waive public comment for the brief open session; a motion to waive public comment was made and seconded and members voiced support and opposition on the floor, but the transcript does not include a completed roll-call tally for that specific motion.

The chair told the board the closed-session discussion would be held “to consult with counsel to obtain legal advice and a discussion regarding the decision on superintendent candidate pursuant to section 3-305(b)(17) of the General Provisions Article of the Maryland Code.” The board then considered a motion to allow a student member to be present during that closed session.

A board member moved to allow Mr. McVicker, identified in roll call as the student member, to attend the closed session; the motion was seconded. Clerk Miss Rallo conducted a roll-call vote. The transcript records the following responses: Mrs. Perry — yes; Miss Arkaitis — no; Dr. Mealer — yes; Mr. McVicker — yes; Mrs. Miller — no; Mrs. Hahn — no; Miss Bruce — yes; Mrs. Alvarez — no; Vice President Sewell — yes; President Page — yes. The clerk announced the tally as 6–4 in favor, including a preferential vote.

Before casting her vote on that question, one board member said, “Before I give my vote, I just like to say that in my role past role as a compliance and staff labor relations specialist, we've always had provisions to exclude for certain, portions and topics.” That comment was recorded as part of the roll-call exchange.

After the student-attendance motion passed, a member moved to close the open session. The motion was seconded, members indicated their support, and the chair stated the board would move into the closed session to consult with legal counsel on the superintendent-selection matter. No further public business was conducted in the open session as recorded in the transcript.

The statute cited during the meeting was Section 3-305(b)(17) of the General Provisions Article of the Maryland Code, given as the legal basis for the closed-session consultation with counsel.