At its May 20 meeting, the Talbot County Board of Education formally asked Maryland education leaders and lawmakers to review and revise student discipline policies that board members believe limit local schools’ ability to respond effectively to violent and chronically disruptive behavior.
The board unanimously approved a resolution urging the Maryland State Board of Education, the Maryland State Superintendent of Schools, the General Assembly, and other education organizations to reconsider current disciplinary regulations and alternative placement standards.
The resolution states that schools across Maryland are facing increasing challenges related to student behavior that can affect school climate, staff safety, student well-being, and the educational process. Board members argued that current state regulations often require school systems to meet high thresholds before students can be removed from traditional classroom settings for extended periods or placed in alternative educational programs.
The resolution notes that serious behavioral incidents can have lasting impacts not only on those directly involved but also on students and staff who witness them. The board expressed concern that students responsible for serious misconduct may return to school settings before sufficient intervention or safety planning has occurred.
Under the resolution, the board is asking the state to:
• Restore greater discretion to local school systems when addressing serious behavioral incidents.
• Review disciplinary standards and regulatory thresholds that may limit schools’ ability to respond proactively to significant behavioral concerns.
• Expand access to alternative educational placements, behavioral intervention programs, and student support services.
The resolution emphasizes that students who engage in violent or chronically disruptive behavior should continue receiving educational services, but in alternative settings when appropriate.
The action reflects a broader conversation taking place in school systems across Maryland regarding the balance between maintaining safe learning environments and ensuring educational access for all students.
Copies of the resolution will be sent to state education officials, the Talbot County legislative delegation, the Maryland Association of Boards of Education, and other local school boards throughout Maryland.
The board approved the resolution without opposition.
5 Responses
Well, it sure is about time! As a retired teacher/ administrator in Talbot with grandchildren currently in the public schools, the climate of Talbot Schools is deplorable in its current state. This has resulted in a loss of staff and students to private schools. I had such pride in Talbot Public Schools during my working years! You must have order when you are teaching. Now, kids are positively reinforced for negative behavior. Staff and students are anxious and fearful making it impossible teach and learn. All citizens must get behind this request. This is our community!
Ask for forgiveness, not permission. Our county government is way more important to anyone living here than the state or federal government; we NEED to do what is right by our citizens and students. Why in the world would we NOT?!?
If I was on the county council, I would exploring a lawsuit against the state for funding any programs that stress our educational resources, and also to force the state to increase the state funding for our schools. The last time I looked, we were receiving roughly $10k less from MD than Baltimore and Montgomery County, per student. (The state was only giving Talbot County about $3,500 per student at the time, but Baltimore was receiving north of $14,000 per student.) Meanwhile state funding for social programs has lead to a massive increase in our local and student population, whose need for additional resources per student has stressed the resources that teachers were already complaining about. The state of Maryland has never cared about Talbot County.
I’ve been shown MANY videos of the fights happening in the schools, read articles about the lawsuits about the protection order that finally forced St Michael’s high school to take action to protect one of its students from a bully, etc…. What are we doing?!?
Well said! This is a case of 2 Little Way too late in my opinion. I have had teachers tell me.that they don’t feel safe and that they are constantly disrespected. The videos from students their witness to what they’re having to deal with. This should’ve been addressed long before now not just in an election year. I think we need to return to using the ALC as well as implementing Friday night or Saturday school for students who don’t know how to behave or be respectful and follow rules. I also would not be opposed to having parents have to pay a fee towards Friday or Saturday school if their student is a repeat offender. I’m sure that that would meet with backlash, it would certainly cause parents to intervene to make sure that their students are behaving. Something has to be done to get things under control for sure.
Unfortunately, a resolution asking Maryland to consider changing their policies will have little impact unless counties on the western shore pass similar resolutions.
The resolution should have also included more local control over curriculum. I would like to see Talbot County tell the State to keep its money and make the changes necessary to give our children the education they deserve. We have been following the state board of education and the national teachers union lead for decades, and look where it has gotten us.
We can ask to use different curriculum when what we’ve been using according to the State standards is not delivering results. We can go to the courts to seek changes if need be. But you will need a Board of Education made up of members who are willing to do that. Mike Butler, Anne Rosen and myself are promising to fight for what is best for our students, teachers and schools if we are elected. Vote to raise the standards in November.
Lisa Hayes for TCPS District 7