The nonpartisan school board, which sets policies for the public school system, is composed of seven elected members who serve four-year terms. Elected members are paid $12,000 a year, while the chairperson is paid $14,000. The board also includes an unpaid student member, who is elected by fellow students to a one-year term.

Residence: Ellicott City
Age: 54
Occupation: Homeschool teacher and community activist

Ellicott City resident Diane Butler sees several areas where she believes the Howard County school system could be improved.

For starters, she'd like to bolster the county's programs targeted at struggling students while adding more challenging material for advanced students.

Butler is running for a seat on to the Board of Education because, she said, she wants to redirect schools' focus to the point where the rubber meets the road -- where teachers instruct students.

The school system, she said, has "all these chiefs, but not enough Indians."

Butler, 54, said she believes some of the county's best teachers are in "resource" roles, where they don't have as much direct interaction with students as they should.

"I just think every child deserves an excellent education," she said. "Education is the most important thing we can do for our children in this country."

To that end, Butler would like to see the addition of the International Baccalaureate program, better identification and support for students who need academic help and more accessible vocational training.

Butler, a community activist, home-schools her teenage daughter. She withdrew her daughter from Northfield Elementary School in 2000 because she felt the school system was not meeting her daughter's needs.

As a reformer, Butler would call for major changes to the schools' budget and redistricting processes, she said. The redistricting process should be overhauled to create "core community-based schools," while the budget could be leaner by eliminating wasteful programs that don't directly impact education, she said.

"We have a tremendous amount of money in our school system and our budget grows and grows each year," she said. "I think we've gotten so comfortable with that amount of money."

Overall, Butler said she would bring fresh ideas to a board and system she considers to have become "staid."

"I'm honest about what I do. I'm honest and I'm up front," she said. "I'm willing to go in there and find the answers."

-- Jennifer Broadwater

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Allen Dyer
Residence: Ellicott City
Age: 61
Occupation: Lawyer and consultant

Although he says he's feeling more energized than ever about the future of the country, Allen Dyer sees challenges ahead for the Howard County school system.

Dyer, who is seeking election to the Board of Education in order to address those challenges, said he sees some budgetary "belt tightening" on the horizon.

"I have such high hopes for our country and our public school systems. I'm excited. I see things happening that are good, positive and that go back to the dreams of the founders. I feel young," said Dyer, 61, of Ellicott City.

However, one local issue that needs immediate attention is the school system's capital budget, particularly with regard to aging infrastructure, Dyer said.

"The economy is bad. We're going to have to do some belt tightening. We're going to have to look at our priorities," he said. "Our schools are getting old and they need to be renovated and replaced. I don't think we want to put off dealing with our county's structural problems."

Finding a sustainable source of funding for such projects will be an obstacle to overcome, he said.

In his roles as a lawyer and computer consultant, Dyer said he has gained "a great respect for process" that he would put to use on the board.

Additionally, he said he is a strong supporter of transparency of the board and having a better dialogue with the public.

"The board has to be proactive in its communication with the public. The board shouldn't assume the citizens know what's in the mind of the board," said Dyer, who has been a critic of the board's operations in the past. He sued the board in 2000 over alleged violations of the state's open meetings law although judges ruled he lacked standing in the case.

This is Dyer's fourth run for the school board, following unsuccessful campaigns in 2000, 2004 and 2006.

Dyer said he and his wife moved to Howard County because of its public school system, and have been strong advocates for it ever since. The couple's two children are graduates of River Hill High School.

"Public schools are the rebirthing place of our democracy. It's truly the melting pot," he said.

-- Medina Roshan

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Ellen Flynn Giles
Residence: North Laurel
Age: 58
Occupation: Editor and analyst

The state of the country's economy has spurred Board of Education member Ellen Flynn Giles to ponder ways the schools can be more efficient without sacrificing the quality of education.

Giles, whose first term on the school board expires this year, is seeking re-election in order to address that issue and others.

Because hiring staff with specialized training might be too costly, Giles suggests partnering with other community or government organizations to provide the same services.

For example, rather than hiring a new teacher, students should be able to take Web-based courses at Howard Community College for specialized subjects such as statistics or Chinese.

"We have to be creative in looking at how to better use the resources we have. We can't afford to do less for our children. We have to make do," said Giles, 58, of North Laurel. "The technologies have improved (and) that offers real possibilities to deliver for us."

Community outreach is a focal point of Giles' campaign, she said, adding that she'd like to see more parents get involved in their children's education.

Giles' four children are graduates of Atholton High School. She works as an editor and analyst in the energy sector at McGraw-Hill.

"I think I can contribute through my experience as an analyst and my commitment as a mother," she said.

Additionally, she cites her decades of work as a public education activist, having volunteered on school committees, PTAs, and an advisory council to the board.

All of this, Giles believes, makes her a qualified candidate for the board.

Despite the economic challenges, Giles said she believes focusing on education in the county is vital.

"The future is in the classroom," she said. "It's the economic driver in our county."

-- Medina Roshan

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Betsy Grater
Residence: Ellicott City
Age: 75
Occupation: Retired teacher and business owner

Since deciding to run for the Howard County Board of Education about a year ago, Betsy Grater has attended many of the board's meetings. Each time, she said, she's surprised and impressed with what she witnesses.

There was the time the board honored the latest batch of county teachers to earn national certification, she recalled, or the poise exhibited by students who address the board at nearly every meeting.

"There's so much going on we don't hear about," she said.

If elected, Grater said she would aim to disseminate more "positive publicity" on schools.

Grater said her interest in the affairs of the school system stems, in large part, from the fact that her grandchildren attend county schools. Two attend Swansfield Elementary School, one attends Wilde Lake High School and a fourth is a recent graduate.

Grater, 75, of Ellicott City, said she feels that the operation of county schools is relevant to all county residents, parents or not, because the system impacts the county and its budget.

A tight economy likely will require a reevaluation of the schools' budget and Grater said she would "take into consideration the constraints and look at how we can do things better ... and not take away from teachers or the curriculum in doing it."

Grater mentioned the recent formation of a committee to identify cost-saving measures for the school system and other government agencies as a step in the right direction.

Also of concern to Grater is seeing to it that parents become more involved in their children's education and that school staff do a better job of matching students and families to the resources they need within the schools.

Grater, who is retired, said she feels she has a solid background in education and business, having worked as an elementary school teacher, a bed-and-breakfast owner and an elected member of a school board in North Carolina.

"I'm not a one-issue candidate," she said. "On the board, I will evaluate each situation as it comes up and see how it plays out and what's best for our children."

-- Jennifer Broadwater

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Janet Siddiqui
Residence: Clarksville
Age: 47
Occupation: Pediatrician

As a parent and a pediatrician, Janet Siddiqui feels she's well-suited to address the issues facing the county's Board of Education.

Siddiqui, a Clarksville resident and mother of three, was appointed by County Executive Kenneth Ulman to fill a vacancy on the school board in March 2007. Prior to the appointment, Siddiqui finished sixth in the 2006 election, when five seats were open on the board.

Now that her term is expiring, she hopes to retain her spot.

"I feel that -- as a pediatrician, with my experience in the health care industry and being a parent with children in the school system -- I understand the issues parents are concerned about," Siddiqui said.

Two of her children are Atholton High School graduates and the youngest is a freshman there.

One of Siddiqui's priorities is to continue the board's work addressing the achievement gap, she said. Keys to that include strong principal leadership, partnerships with the community and quality after-school programs, she said.

"We certainly need accountability and data collection to evaluate the success of these programs," she said.

Also important to Siddiqui is the school system's ability to attract and maintain talented teachers, she said, adding that in order to keep quality teachers the system must provide them with the technology, professional development and resources they need.

Of immediate concern to Siddiqui are the state-mandated High School Assessments, which students must pass in order to receive a high school diploma beginning this school year, she said. Aside from passing the tests in English, algebra, biology and government, students also have the option of completing a alternative project to meet the requirement.

Siddiqui said this alternate project, called the "bridge plan," has not yet been adequately vetted.

"I think there's a lot of questions out there," she said. "We're putting a lot of focus on 2009, but we can't forget about the next class in 2010 and the ones after that."

-- Jennifer Broadwater

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Di Zou
Residence: Glenwood
Age: 20
Occupation: College student

A fresh, young perspective is what Di Zou hopes to bring to the Board of Education.

As a 2006 graduate of Glenelg High School, Zou, 20, said he would bring a perspective to the board that's currently lacking.

"I just recently was a student so I know what's going on ... what the students are concerned about," said Zou, a senior at the University of Maryland whose family lives in Glenwood.

More specifically, Zou said he thinks students are not well represented by the board, with a lone young voice coming from the student member who changes annually and has limited voting rights.

"The first step is ... the student needs full voting rights," Zou said.

Technology is another area Zou hopes to reform within the county's school system, he said.

Zou said the county lacks sufficient technology training for its teachers. He also thinks that there should be more laptops available in classrooms for students to use during the school day. Ideally, Zou also would like to see projectors installed in each classroom, but acknowledges the endeavor might be costly.

With the country's economic crisis looming overhead, Zou is concerned about budgetary issues, he said.

"I don't want to cut the school budget. We just need to be more careful with how we're spending our money," he said.

Zou, who also sought election to the school board in 2006, said he remains a proponent for increased pay for teachers and expanding vocational education to accommodate students who are not college-bound, he said.

Zou, who said he has been busy with his studies, plans to graduate in the spring, and would devote as much time as possible to the board if he is elected, he said.

-- Medina Roshan

user comments (12)

user michellewood says...

I was thrilled to see that the Flier has endorsed some reformers on the school board. We need change! A must-see documentary has been recently released about the HCPSS: The trailer can be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPvVlzjjKR0 The full length documentary can be viewed by going to: http://www.breakthematrix.com/channels/2 Click on the "On Demand" button below the TV screen, scroll down to "Choice Denied documentary" and click on the clip that comes up. As you watch, please keep the following in mind: - Employees should not lose their ability to get out of district placements for their children, but citizens should be given the same opportunities. - The current school board chooses to look only at overall (countywide) statistics and refuses to acknowledge that there are large disparities between individual schools. Students from EVERY county school need to be able to compete and attain the same achievement levels as the county average. If the board won't acknowledge that there are problems, it will never address them. - The troubles that struggling schools face are not the fault of the administrators or teachers at those schools, but rather that of the Board of Education and its policies. - Keep in mind that you don't have to vote for three BOE candidates on Election Day. If you vote for fewer than three candidates, it is the equivalent of casting extra votes for the candidate(s) you like best.

Posted 10:23 PM, 10.23.08 | Permalink

user dawnp says...

I wish that Patuxent Publishing had taken more time to learn about the candidates' positions on the issues before reaching their endorsement decision. I was very disappointed to see the endorsement of Diane Butler. Your readers may be interested to know that Ms. Butler supports the teaching of so-called "Intelligent Design" in science classes and would like to see parental consent as a pre-requisite to sex education classes (as opposed to allowing parents to opt their children out if they so desire). She also supports private school "vouchers," so it seems pretty disingenuous for her to say that she wants to improve our public schools! These positions (and others) were outlined by Ms. Butler in her responses to a candidate questionnaire from Democracy for Howard County, a local progressive organization that ultimately endorsed Ellen Flynn Giles and Allen Dyer for school board. Anyone wishing to see all of the responses received from the candidate may request a copy by emailing HoCoDFA-owner@yahoogroups.com.

Posted 10:55 PM, 10.23.08 | Permalink

user michellewood says...

dawnp: I belive Ms. Butler has addressed a similar attack on this site already. Her comments can be viewed at: http://www.explorehoward.com/education/12328/board-hopefuls-differ-school-spending-state-testing-issues/ Clearly you are trying to paint Ms. Butler as some sort of radical who wants to introduce religious education as a subsitute for science in public schools. I don't think this is true. I have a Ph.D. in biology and, as far as I know, nobody has yet been able to prove the origin of life (or matter). So, if a teacher wants to inform my children that some people believe that the universe was created by a diety, I have no problem with that. It is a fact that many people believe that theory. Why should we hide that from our students? The purpose of education is to inform and train children to draw their own conclusions. They need to learn to think for themselves, as opposed to having censorship imposed upon them. Regarding the requirement for parental consent to sex education, I don't see any problem with that. As a parent, I welcome information about every aspect of my children's education, particularly when it involves subjects of a sensitive nature. Finally, your statement about vouchers is not supported by the data on the subject. Studies show that vouchers actually lead to the improvement of public schools. On the other hand, advocating for the status quo does not. You have nothing to worry about, however, since vouchers will never become a reality in Maryland. The BOE has no authority over this matter anyway. I would be happy just to have the BOE restore choice within our local public schools.

Posted 11:41 PM, 10.23.08 | Permalink

user milton says...

Dawnp- school vouchers would give parents the opportunity to educate their children in a manner in which they see fit. In fact, offering vouchers would raise the bar for public schools, since public schools would have to compete with private institutions. For you to be critical of vouchers shows an extreme degree of self-righteousness on your part. Parents who want to use them would be able to, but parents who do not want to use them have no obligation to do so and could continue to use public schools. Do you really think you are smarter than parents? I would rather have my children in a private school where I don’t have to worry about someone trying to tell them that the tooth fairy created mankind. By the way, I believe that Diane Butler clarified her remarks regarding intelligent design, and she does not support teaching it as part of a science curriculum.

Posted 12:35 PM, 10.24.08 | Permalink

user exinsider says...

Vouchers, "intelligent design"...wow, Howard County is it 2008 or 2000? What other good Republican ideas do we want to try?

Posted 1:14 AM, 10.26.08 | Permalink

user milton says...

Exinsider- don’t poison the well against vouchers by calling them a “republican” idea. Parents support the concept of vouchers because it gives the freedom to educate their children the way they see fit. Unless you are so arrogant that you think you know more than parents about what kind of education a child should receive, you will support them as well. Btw, as far a intelligent design goes, I’ll take Richard Dawkins over the explanation from spirit book.

Posted 11:18 AM, 10.26.08 | Permalink

user dawnp says...

In regards to Ms. Butler's response on the Intelligent Design question (in the comments to another article, linked above in a previous comment), I am not persuaded. She now claims that she does not believe that Intelligent Design should be taught in science class, however, that is precisely what she said in response to an open-ended question. The question did not say anything at all about science class -- Ms. Butler chose to volunteer in her answer that she thought it should be taught in science class. (In contrast to other candidates who indicated that it might be more appropriately taught in Social Studies or a class focused on current events.) I have no problem with parents choosing to send their children to private school, but I do not believe that funds should be diverted from our public schools in order to provide vouchers for them to do so. Reasonable minds may differ on this issue, and I have no interest in debating it here -- I simply think that voters should be aware of Ms. Butler's stance on this and other issues before they go to the polls on November 4th. Similarly, with regard to parental consent for sex education, I believe that the current system which allows parents to opt their children out of sex education classes is preferable to one that requires an affirmative "opt in" system, which might leave many children out of these important classes due simply to a lost permission slip or parents who accidentally forget to return it. Parents who object to having their child learn about sexuality, safe sex, etc. in schools should (and do) certainly have the ability to opt their child out of such classes, but students should not miss out on this important education simply due to carelessness or busy schedules. Again, reasonable minds may differ on this, but I think it's important that the voters know where Ms. Butler stands on these questions before they vote.

Posted 8:40 AM, 10.27.08 | Permalink

user michellewood says...

milton: Sadly, you can forget about any form of school choice as long as the sitting board members are in place. Our county used to have an open enrollment program, which is not the same as vouchers, but at least parents had the right to enroll their children in the public school of their choice (as long as there was space available and the parents provided their own transportation). Eight years ago, the board put a moratorium in place, claiming that the purpose was to get a handle on school enrollments. In truth, it was a response to two things: impending NCLB legislation (they initially thought it would exempt them from having to offer choice to children in underperforming schools) and the embarrassment they suffered when a group of families in the Clemens Crossing neighborhood of Columbia enrolled their children in Lime Kiln Middle School (instead of Wilde Lake Middle). Those parents got together and hired a bus, causing great humiliation to the school board and the county. See the June 11, 2002 article in the Baltimore Sun "Bused Columbia pupils finish middle school; Wilde Lake parents sent children to Lime Kiln; Action spurred system change; Bused Columbia pupils finish middle school." In the words of the former board Chairwoman: "I'm sorry it took those steps to get a school straightened out," said board Chairwoman Jane B. Schuchardt. "I would have preferred to see Wilde Lake get worked out without having parents have to get a bus and take their kids out of there. “I'm not sure I approve of all the reasons why they ran," Schuchardt said of the parents who chose to bus. "But they've stopped running. Sometimes you've got to do something drastic to bring about the change. I don't think it's a problem anymore, and I don't think we'll see that happen again." Well, of course they wouldn't see that happen again, THEY MADE SURE of it by putting an end to open enrollment. Why would they do this when they had to admit that it was the impetus for positive change in the school system? Because they care more about their reputation than improving struggling schools, and because they cling to the status quo and don't want any pressure put on them to fix problems. Now what we have is some people who are so afraid of reform that they are desperately clinging at straws, engaging in fear tactics and launching attacks they know are not factual in an attempt to distract people from the real issue, which is the change this county badly needs.

Posted 8:45 AM, 10.27.08 | Permalink

user michellewood says...

Dawnp: With regard to your statement "students should not miss out on this important education simply due to carelessness or busy schedules." I would submit that if a child has parents who are that careless and/or too busy to pay attention to issues related to their children's schooling, they have bigger problems than missing out on sex education.

Posted 8:57 AM, 10.27.08 | Permalink

user dawnp says...

Michellewood: I am reluctant to pass judgment on anyone's parenting simply by virtue of the fact that they might forget to return a permission slip or perhaps their child misplaced it. However, for those parents who truly ARE too careless and/or busy "to pay attention to issues related to their children's schooling," I would suggest that they also may be too careless and/or busy to take the time to educate their children about their bodies, their sexuality, and safe sex. Those are precisely the children who need sex education in school the most. On the flip side, for those parents who object to their children being taught sex education in school (presumably because they intend to teach their children whatever version of sex education they deem more appropriate), it shouldn't be asking too much for them to have to send in an "opt out" form or letter (as they do under the current system). An "opt in" system has the potential to leave out students who potentially may not be getting sex education from anyone else (but their peers). An "opt out" system includes everyone except those students whose parents felt strongly enough about opting out (and are involved enough in their children's education) to ensure that they submitted the correct paperwork. Seems like a no brainer to me.

Posted 3:19 PM, 10.27.08 | Permalink

user michellewood says...

dawnp: I don't really have a strong opinion on the sex education issue one way or the other. I don't see the need to make a federal case out of it, so I was just playing devil's advocate. And, while I am not passing judgment on anyone, I do think it is unfortunate if any parents truly feel they are too busy to involve themselves in their children's schooling. I really don't see any big deal about requesting a permission slip. If the permission slip is lost, there is no reason why a second one can't be sent home. I personally wouldn't refuse to vote for a candidate based on this position. That's really my only point here. I do see your point of view and, as you said, reasonable minds can differ on the issue (or in our case, on the relative importance of the issue).

Posted 9:34 PM, 10.27.08 | Permalink

user teachgiftedkids says...

Wow. With all the sex education on TV (good, bad, other), the efforts of Planned Parenthood, and the kids own peers, what is left for the school to teach? The US educational system has more problems to worry about than whether to teach children how to have sex. Few adults can lament the absence of a sex education course in school. The science courses teach about anatomy and the culture provides more information than necessary. Health education is necessary, but what is in the curriculum really does matter. As dawnp states, "...they intend to teach their children whatever version of sex education they deem more appropriate". You are correct. I will teach my children my values and my viewpoints about sexuality, just as all the other parents do. These decisions are personal and should be done in the home. Politicizing issues, such as this, causes the real purpose of the school system to be ignored and questioning the appropriateness of one's educational viewpoint based on its source is dangerous at best. This directly contradicts the publicly funded campaign for civility (tolerance and understanding of views other than your own). I already have to teach my child the basics in math and reading because the school system is not willing to provide sufficient challenges for them to achieve in fundamental academic topics. Educators should return their focus toward teaching the subjects they have been trained to teach and few are trained in teaching health-related issues including sexuality without interjecting their opinions (liberal or conservative).

Posted 9:51 PM, 10.27.08 | Permalink