Schallheim should be supported, not criticized

Amy Leahy’s recent letter to The Capital criticizing Dana Schallheim’s priorities on the Board of Education is appalling on several fronts.

To suggest the Board of Education should not prioritize ensuring a free and equal public education for all students regardless of identity, including those with disabilities, is both callous and irresponsible. And not least because this is a constitutionally protected right. A board unconcerned with civil rights issues leaves the school district vulnerable to lawsuits.

Leahy also suggests that promoting social acceptance in schools is unimportant, which ignores scores of research proving that students’ sense of belonging predicts both academic achievement and mental wellness. (e.g. Walton & Cohen, 2011, Yeager & Walton, 2011, Gopalan et al, 2022)

Leahy suggests that because Schallheim has been a strong advocate for students with disabilities and against bullying, she is not focused on academics. This is nonsense. The other important predictors of student achievement are research-based curriculum, high quality teaching and strong leadership.

Schallheim has led the charge to adopt improved curricula that align with latest research, hire a nationally recognized superintendent and retain great teachers by offering fair pay and benefits. This is why our county teachers support Schallheim, not her opponents.

Given that Leahy is a top donor to Schallheim opponent LaToya Nkongolo, voters might assume Nkongolo supports Leahy’s fringe views and irresponsible rhetoric. I hope that this is not true and Nkongolo disavows Leahy’s comments.

— Fish Stark, Annapolis

Stark is an educational researcher and program developer