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In advance of the June 26 election primary election, Prince George’s County Advocates for Better Schools (PGCABS) sent the following question to all ten County Executive candidates.
What criteria will you use in filling the position of PGCPS CEO and the appointed positions on the Board of Education? Please be specific about what sort of people you will seek for these positions and whether or not you will replace the current board members.
Here is the response from Billy Bridges (Dem):
I pray all is well! I was so excited to receive your email and could hardly wait to sit down and respond. First, let me say that I have been employed with the Prince Georges County Public Schools for the past 20 years. I have been a para-professional educator, a classroom teacher, performed administrative duties, and currently with the IT Department. I said all of that to preface that I have seen all of the turmoil and disorder that is robbing our students of an excellent educational experience, demoralized staff, and left our school system at the mercy of the state or other forces. In fact, I will attach a letter that was sent in March 2013 to all of our elected and appointed officials that have a hand in educational decisions, before this current state of confusion with a hybrid board.
I have made it clear that my desire is to have a plan in place that includes a revamped curriculum; reorganization of and elimination of unnecessary departments; accelerated school construction; limiting class sizes to 25 or less; making special education self-contained in each school; bringing order, integrity, and compassion to our school system; instituting better security measures; demanding consistency in all that we do; requiring pay equity for employees; wiping out nepotism and corruption; and offering full accountability and transparency at all times. These are the initiatives and values that I will demand in any new Superintendent. I will request the State to change the governance structure back to a Superintendent and a fully elected Board of Education. There is no need for the title of CEO. The new Superintendent will not be required to create a plan, because we will already have a plan in place.
I have already called for the resignation of the Board Chair and appointed members. In addition, I will seek the resignation of the deputies and directors that serve on the Superintendent’s Executive Council. Many of these people are part of the problem in our school system. We need a fresh start and a half-hearted effort will not work. The people I will appoint must possess the same character traits and values that I mentioned for the Superintendent. These citizens must be dedicated to education, have a compassion for students and staff, and possess the highest levels of integrity and character with no conflicts of interest. The members will not be required to have any high level of degrees. We just want people that care and act selflessly to improve our schools!
Responses from other candidates:
Prince George's County Advocates for Better Schools 