Correcting the record on post-Labor Day school start

It has been incredibly disappointing to see The Sun’s editorial board use their influential platform to publish flat-out false pieces regarding Gov. Larry Hogan’s executive action regarding a post Labor Day school start. Their latest click-baiting rant (“‘Silly,’ ‘trivial,’ ’stupid’, ‘nonsense,’” Oct. 27, 2016) is nothing but another attempt to mischaracterize a highly-popular initiative that protects Maryland’s proud reputation of providing high-quality education, while also helping our state’s economy.

I had the privilege of being one of the 19 members who were appointed to the legislative task force that studied the feasibility of a post-Labor Day school start and proudly joined the majority of my colleagues — composed of educators, parents, teachers, legislators, union representatives and civic leaders — in support of starting school after Labor Day. We spent months hearing testimony from stakeholders, reviewing research studies and data, and discussing the potential consequences and benefits of starting school after Labor Day. Despite what many argue, we found no evidence — and there is currently no evidence — that a post-Labor Day school start would compromise our children’s ability to get a good education.

Like some school systems have already shown, compliance with the governor’s executive order is not only possible but does not impose undue burden on the school systems or have detrimental impact on our children’s education. The Sun’s continued regurgitation of the same lies and deceptive tactics does a great disservice to its readers and blatantly ignores the hard work, time and efforts of the legislative task force that studied this issue in much greater detail than the editorial writers who write with such authority and arrogance on this topic.