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The outgoing President of the Education Association of St. Mary’s County Wanda Ruffo Twigg, delivered the following statement to the school board at its June 27 meeting. Her term ends on June 30.

Good evening Dr. Raspa, Dr. Martirano and other members of the Board, I am Wanda Ruffo Twigg,  president of the EASMC, representing almost 900 members. This will be my last official BOE meeting as president. I considered going quietly, but then knew I could not. My successor will be in attendance at the next BOE meeting and I am sure you all will work well together for the benefit of all our students and staff.

I was going to speak just about the need to keep our staff in the forefront of your minds as you continue forward making plans for the system. I know you have done what you could for us these last few years, but I ask that you remember that we deserve better and we will work with you to those ends. Our staff is two and will be three steps behind in August. We cannot continue to do that and expect people to stay. Our newest teachers are stuck and feel like they will never get out of the hole they are in. They have student loans, car payments, rents and many want to purchase homes or start families, but are limited because they have been stuck in the same place. We have coaches and other extra-curricular activities sponsors that haven’t seen a raise on 5 years. I know you know many of us have Master’s degrees and more and people are working as hard as they are able. We deserve our steps and more in this the 14th wealthiest county in the country.

Yesterday, I sat at a meeting and heard someone say that we were about to see an “era of accountability the likes of which people have never seen.” I wanted to address that, as well. I was incredulous when I heard it. Let me list the people or groups to whom teachers and administrators are accountable. We are accountable to ourselves, our students, their parents, our principal, our supervisor, the Superintendent, the Board of Education, The Board of County Commissioners, the MSDE, the State BOE, the State Superintendent, the MD GA, the Governor, the USDE, the Secretary of Education, the US Congress, the President of the US, and every single person who pays taxes in our community, the state, and nation. Some of us are also accountable to the College Board if we teach AP courses and many are accountable to the rules of the athletic association or other groups if they coach. We have to follow hundreds or perhaps thousands of policies, regulations and laws at the local, state, and federal level. We give and grade thousands of assignments, give and score multiple personal, local, state and national assessments, we conduct dozens of parent conferences, take part in IEP meetings, attend back to school nights, and answer hundreds of parent emails, all while providing high quality instruction every single day. We also have personal standards of accountability that includes our work ethic, dedication and commitment to caring about our student’s success and our own professionalism.  I don’t know what it means that we will be “more accountable.” I know people get tired of hearing about how hard we work, but if they are going to insist that we be even “more accountable,” then they will have to understand us talking about what we do every single day. I don’t think it was the teachers and administrators that the GA intended to be held “more accountable” when they decided to shift our pension costs to the county. The GA knows the incredible work that we do. What does being “more accountable” look like? What does that mean?

In the end, I just want to ask that you the members of the BOE continue to be fierce advocates for public education, public educators and our students. I ask that you always put people ahead of expanding programs or artificial turf and that even when you have to open new schools and hire new people, that those currently in your employ are not forgotten and left behind.

We are blessed to live in a community that is so wealthy. Yet, we have people who are so poor and who need our help to improve their lives. We can do that with a high quality, 21st century public education. And that costs money. It doesn’t compare to the cost of a new jet or aircraft carrier or even a drone, but it is also vitally important to the success of our county, our state and our nation. We firmly believe that a rising tides lifts all boat and we hope that this community will rise up to support our schools just as they support the navy base. National security is always our number one priority, but I believe that public education runs a close second.

As I leave office, I ask each of you to redouble your efforts to bring awareness of the real needs of this system to the public. We must do better for the people who bring the successes to our students and system. We will be right there with you.

Thank you for listening and for working with me and the Association so closely. Please never tire in your advocacy for what is right and just for your staff. Your students will benefit all the more.