With schools, Hogan used authority wisely

In its most recent disagreement with Gov. Larry Hogan’s executive order regarding later school opening (“‘Silly’, ‘trivial,’ ‘stupid,’” Oct. 28), the true emotions and views of representative government of The Sun’s editorial board are revealed with their editorial’s petulant opening statement that “anyone who gives a damn” should read the resignation letter written by the state’s former state school board vice president.

They then provide the argument by the much-awarded physics professor, S. James Gates Jr., who advises President Barack Obama and who considers Governor Hogan’s edict “frightening” in its impact. Providing no supporting evidence or research, Mr. Gates opines that it has the “potential” of harming low-income students who may suffer learning loss with schools opening later. I believe Mr. Gates may have forgotten that the later opening will be accompanied by a later closing, not a longer summer repast nor loss of instruction days. The Sun has a problem with the governor changing policy with executive order, but I don’t recall the board having issues with President Obama doing so on a national policy scale as some courts have.

Then the editors noted that a prior panel under Gov. Martin O’Malley recommended the schedule change, though its “educators” were outnumbered by parents, legislators and business leaders, not real people in the editors’ eyes. They expected a “legislative response,” which failed to get out of committee. The editors say “this is how democracy works.” Navel gazing in committee is not how democracy works.

That’s exactly why, when Congress wouldn’t give him a bill, the president — and in this instance, the governor — used their power to establish policy as the people’s elected chief executives.