I ran for the Maryland Senate in 2010 because teaching in Baltimore City Public Schools made it abundantly clear that we were failing our responsibility as a society to provide all children an education that enables them to maximize their potential. In one of the wealthiest states in the wealthiest country on the globe, our historic disinvestment in public education for children living in poverty was an indelible stain.
By overriding the Governor's veto of the Blueprint for Maryland's Future this afternoon, the Maryland General Assembly made clear that the status quo is unacceptable. If COVID-19 was the Governor's reason for vetoing the Blueprint, it is also the moral imperative for overriding that veto.
The same students and schools that have long faced underinvestment in their educational outcomes have been disparately impacted by virtual learning over the last year. At a time when our students, especially students of color and those living in areas with high concentrations of poverty, are experiencing immense learning loss, the worst thing we can do is reverse course on the Blueprint that was created to address these exact issues.
The enactment of the Blueprint and commitment to its full implementation over the next decade is a promise fulfilled to begin building a more equitable and fair State for all of our children. Today marks the start of our next chapter - implementing the Blueprint's plan with accountability and fidelity.
