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Commentary

Police reform an expected outcome

If proponents of a law think it does not go far enough in solving a problem, and opponents complain that it has gone too far, chances are good that lawmakers have arrived at a decent compromise. So it is with the police reform measures passed by the Maryland General Assembly this year, and then enacted into law despite the veto from Gov. Larry Hogan.

Baltimore has a need for Amtrak – and maglev service, too

In a virtual hearing before a subcommittee of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure this week, Amtrak CEO William J. Flynn observed that a proposed magnetic levitation train running between the District of Columbia and Baltimore would “benefit only a small number of affluent travelers,” with ticket prices that would overwhelm the average Amtrak or MARC commuter. He also suggested to members of Congress that scarce transportation dollars would be far better spent on expanding Amtrak’s high-speed rail service to bring it more in line with successful systems in Europe and Asia.

Read More: Baltimore Sun
A call for accountability in Maryland’s mishandling of education amid the pandemic

This year’s failures of Maryland’s educational establishment will soon be on display. Newly-passed House Bill 1372 requires all school districts to use standardized testing (independently validated, traditional and computer-adapted tests) that will assess learning loss due to COVID-related school closures. This testing is an important first step toward creating accountability for the state’s disastrously mishandled school year and healing the damage that it has caused. Nationwide standardized tests have already illuminated many of the failures of online learning.

Read More: Baltimore Sun
Keep a wary eye on enrollment as Anne Arundel schools prepare for fall classes

Anne Arundel Schools Superintendent George Arlotto has been saying for months that planning was underway for a return to normal classroom instruction next fall. A letter released late last week formalized it in response to a request from the state. No one knows, however, how many students will show up. Enrollment in county schools dropped by about 2,400 students this year. The assumption is that most of these withdrawals are in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Chesapeake bay bridge.
America’s bridges need greater investment to survive

In the debate over President Joe Biden’s infrastructure and climate bill, it was perhaps inevitable that some policymakers would object to including anything other than traditional infrastructure such as roads and bridges. More surprising is what I’ll call the “new pundit view,” which casts doubt about spending in precisely that narrow category. This is a perspective based on very imperfect data. Especially given the severe weather that climate change is likely to bring, the White House infrastructure and climate plan is right to spend more to repair and improve roads and bridges.

To support Black children, school systems must engage their parents

COVID-19 has revealed the significant divide in educational opportunity in America. For decades, these disparities were widely known to researchers and educators, yet remained hidden from public view. They have now been brought out in the open. This pandemic set off a cacophony of angry cries from mostly middle-class, white parents outraged over school closures and the implementation of virtual instruction.

Read More: Baltimore Sun
Our Say: The tragedy of a family mental health crisis is keeping it secret

After a judge sentenced Donald John Bucalo to eight years in prison for the murder of his daughter, Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess released a painful yet necessary statement. Michelle Bucalo’s mental illness should not have been a death sentence. Bucalo shot his daughter to death while she slept in their Severn home. His defense against murder charges was that his daughter’s bipolar disorder had become so uncontrollable that she presented a present danger to her family members, including children.

‘We’ve Punched Below Our Weight in Maryland,’ Perez Says

When Tom Perez and I met at a Takoma Park restaurant the other day, the former Democratic National Committee chair was just a few weeks removed from knee surgery. So when we were offered seats at a high-top table, he declined. Being up high would be too uncomfortable, he explained, and he needed a place to sit where he could stretch his legs and spread out a bit. To me, it felt a little like a metaphor.

Using data to put brakes on speeders

Speeding has gotten out of control in many Frederick neighborhoods, and the police and the government are taking an innovative approach to try to curb the wave of lawbreaking that endangers drivers and pedestrians alike. This week, the city unveiled Operation Safe Speed, a data-driven attempt to get ahead of this disturbing trend. Police officers will be working with the engineers from the Public Works department to analyze complaints of speeding around the city and carefully target their response.

assorted books on wooden table
Has higher education learned any lessons from the pandemic?

The pandemic has struck higher education in the gut. And now it stands shaken, confused and hoarding hand sanitizer. Forced by the COVID-19 pandemic, colleges and universities begrudgingly moved away from the sanctity of lecture halls and transitioned to operating behind webcams. Now, as our nation begins to build immunity and we slowly reopen our vibrant campuses and grandiose halls, higher education is scrambling to re-assemble itself to its former glory.

Read More: Baltimore Sun

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