Across Maryland, school board candidates cite learning loss, student performance as biggest issues

Steve Whisler and Jenni Pompi stand on opposite sides of the cultural divide roiling school board races in Maryland and nationwide. Whisler objects to what he called the “1619 Project curriculum” that focuses on the role of racism in America’s founding, while Pompi praises schools that teach students about “the disenfranchisement and marginalization of Black, brown and Indigenous people.” But Whisler and Pompi agree on one thing: The most important issue facing Maryland’s schools isn’t their approach to race or the kinds of books that students can check out of school libraries. “The most pressing issue in our county relates to learning loss,” said Whisler, a Carroll County Board of Education candidate.