There is no shortage of hot-button issues surrounding public education (book banning, pronouns, student use of cell phones and smart devices, and the role of school resource officers…just to name a few). These contentious topics are dividing families and neighborhoods nationwide – including right here in our community. So, can we engage in constructive conversation with friends, neighbors, and colleagues and consider alternative perspectives?
Discussion topics may include:
- What is the role of educators in public schools? What is the role of parents? What should these roles be?
- Is book banning an issue in our public schools? Should parents and guardians or educators and media specialists make decisions related to materials available to students in schools?
- Should students have access to personal technology devices while in school? Should educators or parents make these decisions?
- Does government have a role in public education?
- For example, the Maryland General Assembly is considering a bill that would require each County Board of Education to create an age–appropriate comprehensive health education curriculum, and to establish policies, guidelines, and procedures for a parent or guardian to opt their student out of certain topics.
- The use of school resource officers continues to be debated by community members and organizations, with opponents of SROs maintaining that these officers, intended to provide safety in an era of school shootings, disproportionately affect students of color and that increasing the number of counselors and/or restorative justice programs achieve better results. Do SROs have a role in public education? Should alternative methods of violence prevention be examined?
- Many community members decried the proliferation of weather-related closures earlier this year. What is the impact of these closures and delays on our business community, and the trickle-down effect on the local economy? What about the impact on working parents? Is there a solution?
Meet our Chief Facilitating Officer: Marcy Leonard
Marcy grew up in Columbia, Maryland and presently serves as the Chief Operating Officer, Public Services for the Howard County Library System. As COO for the Howard County Library System, Marcy is responsible for stewarding the public services for all of the library’s branches as well as all in-person and virtual curricular programming, ensuring equitable access to resources for all Howard County community members.
After graduating from Atholton High School and serving as Howard County’s first Student Member on the Board of Education, she earned a B.A. in History from Haverford College, a M.A. in Education from Wake Forest University, and completed doctoral coursework at the University of Maryland at College Park.
Her 30-year career as an educator in the Howard County Public School System began as a social studies teacher and Assistant Principal at Wilde Lake High School. She then had the privilege of serving as Principal of Atholton High School, Hammond High School and Wilde Lake High School as well as Community Superintendent. While serving as Principal, her schools consistently made substantial gains in numerous areas, including graduation rate, Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment participation, and school climate. She also closed achievement and opportunity gaps for traditionally underserved students and initiated impactful restorative justice, mental health, and community building programming.
In addition to her work for the Howard County Library System and Howard County Public Schools, Marcy is a member of the Leadership Howard Premier Class of 2019 and serves on the Board of Directors for Maryland Leadership Workshops, Ohana of Howard County, the Community Foundation of Howard County, and the Youth Climate Institute. She was a recipient of the Washington Post Distinguished Educational Leadership award, was named the Howard Magazine Principal of the Year 12 times, and was recognized with the City Gives Leadership Award and Maryland PTA Educator of the Year Award.
