Education mandate is blueprint for disaster

Recent polling indicates a broad-based endorsement of Maryland’s Blueprint for the Future, but beneath the surface, questions and concerns about this ambitious plan are mounting.

The Blueprint, designed to revamp Maryland’s education system, holds appeal in its promise to improve public education. The issue, however, isn’t with the idea of better education; who doesn’t want that? The real problem is with the Blueprint’s high cost and inadequate funding structure, leaving taxpayers and county governments grappling with how to foot the bill.

Gov. Larry Hogan’s initial veto of the Blueprint, which was overridden, foreshadowed the fiscal challenges we’re seeing today. With a Maryland General Assembly session that ended without substantial action to address these concerns, the looming question remains: How will we pay for the Blueprint? This is a question that state legislators and policymakers have yet to satisfactorily answer.

The Blueprint’s financial burden is being transferred to counties, which are forced to make cuts to crucial programs to meet the new mandates. In Harford County, this translates to reduced funding for safety and security, special education, magnet schools, class sizes, world languages, arts and music, athletics, and extracurricular activities. Harford County is not alone. Counties across Maryland are struggling to maintain these cherished education programs as limited resources are redirected to support Blueprint initiatives.

A fiscal briefing released in January by the state Department of Legislative Services paints a stark picture. It predicts that Maryland will confront a structural deficit commencing in fiscal 2025, which will skyrocket to nearly $2.93 billion by 2029. This aligns with the projected cost of implementing the Blueprint, which is set to surpass $4 billion by 2029. Maryland’s ranking of 46th in the 2023 State Business Tax Climate Index underscores the severe repercussions of raising taxes to meet these demands. Further tax hikes potentially could drive both businesses and residents out of the state, exacerbating the financial predicament.

The Blueprint is an unfunded mandate that strips local boards of education of their autonomy, imposing a one-size-fits-all approach to education that doesn’t consider the unique needs of different counties. It also risks bankrupting local governments and undercuts community-driven initiatives that could offer more tailored solutions to educational challenges.

As much as we all desire to enhance public education, the Blueprint in its current form is not the solution. It jeopardizes the very essence of local control and poses a significant financial threat to the state’s future. Maryland legislators must scrutinize this plan and strive to restore control to local boards of education. Otherwise, we will confront a much graver crisis in the future, with irreversible harm to both our education system and our economy. It’s high time for Annapolis to reevaluate and devise a blueprint that is sustainable, adaptable, and respects local governance.

— Aaron Poynton

Poynton is the president of the Harford County Board of Education. The opinions expressed here are personal and don’t necessarily represent the views of the board or Harford County Public Schools.

Dangers of tianeptine

“They’re selling that stuff at the smoke shop near us,” Bryan, my coworker said. “I’ve been told it’s highly addictive, causes seizures and many bad side effects, and overdoses, even death.”

Bryan taught me about tianeptine.  Marketed as a dietary supplement and energy drink (which means the federal Food & Drug Administration can’t regulate its sales), it’s sold in smoke shops, convenience stores, gas stations, and online right here in Harford County. Brand names include Za Za, Neptune’s Fix, Pegasus, Tianna Red, White Magic, and at least a half dozen others.  It’s sold in fancy flavors with appealing colors.

Outlawed in Florida, Ohio, Michigan and six other states, tianeptine pills and liquids are sold in Maryland.  There’s no age restriction to purchase, no health warnings on the labels and no warning signs at stores where it’s sold — often in boxes of 12 bottles each.

The FDA has issued alerts and press releases warning about the dangers of tianeptine.  Poison centers in many states report a dramatic increase in the number of calls from users and families about the life-threatening incidents of its use.

I purchased a 15-capsule bottle of Za Za in Aberdeen.  It cost $32.  A .338 fluid ounce of Neptune’s Fix costs $19.  Like most addictive substances, the more a person uses, the more tolerance he develops and has to use more the next time.

The encouraging news is that two of our delegates — Teresa Reilly and Steve Johnson — co-sponsored H.B. 1230, the “Tianeptine Consumer Protection Act.”  It passed the House and Senate and now awaits Gov. Wes Moore’s signature.

Our county and city councils, health departments, and all policymakers should consider immediate action to ban or restrict the sale of any tianeptine products.

— Don Mathis, Havre de Grace

Mathis is a certified peer recovery specialist at Voices of Hope in Aberdeen