Village Green/Town²

Did you work in your school newspaper? I didn't. My high school years were my poetry years. I worked on the literary magazine. If I am really lucky none of those deeply felt poems are still floating around. School newspapers have gone digital. It saves paper. I bumped into the current issue of the Oakland Mills Scroll on Twitter last night. I'd like to recommend this editorial , entitled "It's All In Your Head". The author is Deanna Neudecker. It's a thoughtful and astute look at mental health issues. Over the time period that this student and her classmates have been in school, the emphasis has been on testing and more testing, signing up for multiple AP classes. Many of our students are burdened beyond the coping point. We tell them that this is for the best. They must be college and career ready. They must be good little widgets and then they will win the prize. But people are not widgets. People have physical and emotional needs. We have shifted the ...

Attendance was estimated at around 1100 people. My daughter and I were two of them. We arrived at twenty after four and almost all available seats were taken. We knew we were going to have to leave early, so we were happy to stand at the back. We had a lot of company. The event was a PATH action in support of CB-9. The room was packed, standing room only, with others sitting in the floor down front and the lobby almost entirely filled as well. But it's not the numbers that really matter. It's the hands. Early on, one of the speakers had us join hands. He said, if we are not connected, if we are not engaged with one another, in relation with one another, then we will feel alone, powerless, lost. It isn't enough to protest and resist. We must be connected. It is in that connection, those relationships, that there is power. "We, the people," I thought. Now, holding hands is an intimate act and holding hands with complete strangers can feel awkward and risky...

GOLDEN EAGLE CHAMPAGNE BRUNCH JANUARY 29 @ 12:00 PM  -  3:00 PM The Howard County Republican Party cordially invites you to our annual Golden Eagle Champagne Brunch with Invited Guest, County Executive Allan Kittleman. Sunday, January 29 2016, 12:00 pm until 3:00 pm What on earth will they talk about? (Maybe those pesky "whereas clauses".) Gold Sponsorship- $400 – for two Golden Eagle guests Silver Sponsorship – $300 – for two Silver Eagle guests Bronze Sponsorship – $125 – one ticket or $225 per couple I respectfully suggest that they dispense with their usual plan for the profits and donate it all to the ACLU.   Now, there's another event today that won't  cost you a cent. And you won't be squirming to make cocktail conversation while Rome burns, either. PATH Action - Make Howard a Sanctuary County January 29, 2017 @ 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm  Wilde Lake Interfaith Religious Center Both events can be found on  Totally HoCo , a cal...

We've had a bit of a tempest in a teapot this week here in Howard County with the creation of a Facebook page called Howard County Hate Watch. While I absolutely agree that our county has seen an upswing in truly reprehensible hate speech, I find the behavior on this page to be concerning. It's essentially presenting screenshots of other people's posts and condemning them. Something just doesn't feel right about it. As someone responded, this looks more like Howard County Witch Hunt. The people that I know who support CB-9 and the concept of sanctuary legislation don't operate like this. What I mean by that is: that they don't hide their identities they don't refuse to answer questions they don't delete comments of people who disagree with them  So who is behind this? Prominent Republicans have been on a hunt to pin this on a Democrat. Democrats think it may be a Republican hoax. I have heard several names bandied about but I don't thin...

In a conversation with a four year old student, the teacher asked, "Were you in school last year?" He paused, thought a bit, and responded, "When was last year?" When was last year? Was that before Christmas? Before summer vacation? Before my birthday? When you are four years old your concept of time is very different than that of an adult. Right now our local world and our national one are undergoing so much upheaval that I feel a bit like that preschool child. When was last year? Was that before it was okay to call human beings "cancer" in a public meeting? Before school superintendents sued their Boards of Education? Before students had to contend with racist threats on social media? Before the County Executive rushed to make a statement condeming attacks on those who agreed with him on CB-9, but was silent when the same happened to those who opposed his views? When was last year? Were we any better then? I wonder. Add your comments on the ...

Yesterday I saw a familiar face. A pensive photograph that belongs to a local blogger whose work I deeply admire. Her name is Lisa Marini Schlossnagle and her blog is Lisa B, Mrs. S. She posted for the first time in forever. (Or so it seems to me.) You can find her post here, dated January 24th: What Am I Doing Here?  Lisa's voice has been missed. Take the opportunity to noodle around in her blog while you are there and you will see why. Today my Facebook memories reminded me of another one of her pieces: What is Columbia All About?  Posted on this dste in 2013, it's every bit as good today as it was then. I can't begrudge Lisa's absence from the blogging world because she lives real life more fully and deeply than most of us. And that takes time, and attention. And focus. I'll leave you with some of her words that feel a propos for the times we are in: Columbia is about diversity  - of people, incomes, spaces, religions, and thought. It's probably ...

Howard County has been named the fifth best county in the nation to live in. According to a survey released Tuesday by financial news site 24/7 Wall St, Howard County is the fifth best county to live in nationally based on three measures of social well-being: educational attainment, poverty rate and life expectancy. Unemployment and health insurance coverage rates also factored into the rankings. -- Columbia Patch The Howard County Library System's annual fundraiser, Evening in the Stacks: An International Affair, celebrates ethnic/cultural diversity. Guests are encouraged to represent their own culture with authentic, traditional dress. Cocktail attire with an international flair is also welcome. - -Ellicott City Patch Concerned Howard County citizens form a watch group prompted by recent hate speech in our community.  That's all I've got today. Talk amongst yourselves. Let me know what you come up with. https://www.facebook.com/VillageGreenTownSquared/?ref=boo...

An interesting question came up at one of the Board of Education Forums in October. From my notes : Question: Tax money for schools. What happened to the casino money? Why is there a budget shortfall? It turns out that Christina Delmont-Small was closest to the correct answer when she said that th e State switched the casino money with prior moneys, replacing the funding. Take a look at this article by Luke Broadwater who chased down the finer points of what exactly is happening to that money. From the article: Curt Anderson, Baltimore Democrat: "I voted against the casinos because I feared all the promises they made would not be kept," he said. "The money is going into the Education Trust Fund, but it's   being siphoned off on the other end." Former Delegate Heather Mizeur, Democrat: "Governor Hogan's budget does exactly what I had feared most when I was working against the casino ballot initiative — it does a bait-and-switch on the publ...

I was going to write about something else today but I saw something last night that stopped me in my tracks.   Wow. Just wow. In so much of the No Sanctuary testimony I have seen, individuals rail against CB-9 because they say it will bring danger and violence to our community. Not so. What I see is that this legislation has revealed where danger and violence already are, right here in this community. Susan Garber wrote a blog post about how perfectly good people were afraid to testify against CB-9 for fear of being labeled racists by mean-spirited liberals. I do wish those perfectly good people had turned out, because the ones who have shown up so far are largely rude, angry, narrow-minded, and threatening.  You may not be convinced by this legislation but at least the people it attracts are advocating compassion, evidence-based decisions, and a welcoming community. If the worst they can do to you is suggest that you check your privilege--well--I think yo...

I attended my first Coffee and Conversation event with the Board of Education yesterday. Hosted this month by Running Brook Elementary School, it was a chance to chat informally with Board members about matters of interest and concern. Five out of seven members were in attendance. I got a chance to speak with four of those. One of the members was busy every time I looked over. I admit I didn't persist and stay until she was freed up because I had somewhere else to be. I also had a nice chat with Principal Troy Todd, who I knew from my days teaching music and movement in RECC programs throughout the county. I was there to express support for the Board and also to give them something to put on their list. The passage of ESSA legislation comes with it the statement that Music and Art are Core Subjects. I wanted to know how the Howard County schools will be responding to that designation. In particular, I'd like to see full music and art instruction restored in elementary schoo...

They plagiarized the cake. Duff Goldman: The cake on the left is the one I made for President Obama's inauguration 4 years ago. The one on the right is Trumps. I didn't make it. I doubt that Mr. Goldman is going to bring suit over theft of intellectual property. Although I think he has a case. Nonetheless,  he wants us to know. Someone stole his ideas and their execution rather than creating work of their own.  Tacky, is it? We have a similar problem right here in Howard County. Someone is stealing photographs taken by reporter Fatimah Waseem for the Howard County Times/Baltimore Sun and doctoring them to use in Anti-Sanctuary propaganda. Fatimah Waseem: That moment you see one of your .@CalvinBallTeam photos (NOT in public domain) being used like this: Stealing other people's work is theft. It is actionable. Why, one could say it is criminal behavior,  Those anti-Sanctuary folks have plenty to say about criminal behavior. It'...

Let's talk about normal things. The high school had a concert last night. The grocery store has a sale on blackberries. My neighbor has a new puppy. One of my students learned to zip her coat. The legislative session in Annapolis has begun. Let's talk about happy memories. That time Dennis Lane said hello to me at Starbucks and made me feel important. The March Fourth concert at the Lakefront. Tom Coale standing on the steps at Portalli's and rejecting cynicism. The outdoor Oakland Mills food give away staffed by neighbors for neighbors. The evening a friend had the audacity to have a beer and pizza summit about race. Let's play the music that always gets us through. I sing to use the Waiting My Bonnet but to tie And shut the Door unto my House No more to do have I Till His best step approaching We journey to the Day And tell each other how We sung To Keep the Dark away.  -- Emily Dickinson Let's light a candle, then: pass the light.

Opponents, clad in red, held large, printed signs that read, "No CB-9" and "diversity yes, illegal no"; while supporters held flimsy 8 x 11-inch sheets that read, "Yes." Pamphlets sponsored by the local Republican committee that read "Weinstein: oath of office or law breaker" lay on distant desks in the building. (From write-up in HoCo Times by Fatimah Waseem) After watching two evenings of testimony on Council Bill 9 through the lens of social media, I have a few thoughts to share. First of all, I think it is significant to note the kind of money the Republican Central Committee was willing to spend on professional signs opposing the measure and glossy literature targeting Councilman Jon Weinstein. They put their money where their mouth is.  All I can say is, do you kiss your mother with that mouth ? In testimony after testimony, opponents spoke in anger and stirred up fear using factually unsubstantiated claims. And this is, sadly,...

Tired of the same old Baltimore Sun editorials? Looking for something a little more balanced? Interactive even? Tune in at noon today : Understanding The Rift In Howard County School’s Leadership   (Kojo Nnamdi Show, WAMU)) Invitations to participate have been extended to both Superintendent Foose and BOE Chair Cynthia Vaillancourt.  It's a call-in show. Call in. As for me, I'll be eating lunch with three year olds. I'm a long-time listener of the Kojo Nnamdi show and I'm sorry to be missing this one. As always, I invite you to share comments here: https://www.facebook.com/VillageGreenTownSquared/?ref=bookmarks

To members of the County Council and to the County Executive, I am writing to you in support of Council Bill 9 on the occasion of Martin Luther King, Jr's national day of celebration and remembrance.  I just read these words, and I want to share them with you: Dr. King assured us that the arc of moral universe bends toward justice, but only if we stand up and speak out for what is right.  (Rep. Mark Takano) Someone added: That arc doesn't bend itself .  It is my responsibility to speak out because I believe in this legislation. And because I believe in #One Howard.  I believe  that all in our county should be  included, respected, and valued.  All.   But I have seen some of the most angry, racist, derogatory language containing the grossest generalizations from those who are fighting the designation of Howard County as a Sanctuary county. Their hateful and selfish language alone proves how much this legislation is needed. ...

Dear Angry Tweeter, Do you know any Muslims in real life? Do you work with, serve in the PTA with, live in a neighborhood with Muslims? What about people of different skin color? Or ethnicities different from your own? Or other religions? Who do you know in real life? Spare me the sound bite you got from an online article. This is Howard County. We live here. What do you know about human beings in real life? “Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”  ― Martin Luther King Jr.

I saw a lot of angry Tweets yesterday from students and parents who missed out on a trip to NYC to see the Broadway production of Aladdin because of the school system's decision to cancel all Saturday activities. I can understand their frustration and disappointment. The weather they were experiencing seemed like nothing to cancel school over. They lost both money and an exciting and rewarding opportunity. But canceling school or school activities is a slippery business. On extremely rare occasions everyone thinks you got it right. The rest of the time, some folks are angry that you closed, or some are angry that you stayed open. It is not an exact science and I would not want that job for a million dollars. My former father-in-law was an assistant superintendent for the Baltimore County Schools, and he gave me some insight into how difficult these decisions truly are. I would imagine that the biggest goal is that no one gets hurt. In the case of ice, almost anything can happen...

Let's just get one thing straight: Bill Woodcock is not a racist homophobe. If you want to know why I'm so steamed up about this, read his recent post on The 53, entitled "Ill-Suited". Then read the comments. It seems that nastiness in the comments section has become almost a full time job for some people these days. As you know, I've been an outspoken critic of anonymous posters. In this particular case, though, the commenter has identitied herself. It must have meant a lot to her to be able to hurl that insult at Mr. Woodcock. As someone who has worked with Bill on Oakland Mills- and Columbia-centric issues, and who has read his blog consistently for years, I can say without hesitation that he is not a racist, and he is not a homophobe. Those are nasty accusations and they are wholly unsubstantiated.. I'm pretty sure that Bill doesn't care two hoots about this comment. But I do. Because words matter. If you have a good case, you can win you...

Good morning, Friday. I'm looking at the world through what feels like a migraine. I've decided to run this post from three years ago today because of its continued relevance.  Just think of this , and you will know why I'm not done talking about this issue. Although it wasn't directed at this topic, this quote from President Obama's Farewell speech brought my former students to mind: Their children are just as curious, and hopeful, and worthy of love . My People (January 13, 2014) I work with special needs preschoolers. I love my work. I bring music and creative movement to sixteen schools in the Howard County School System. My students have a wide variety of abilities and disabilities. But they have one vital characteristic in common. They are all beautiful. It does not matter if they are not typically developing preschoolers. It does not matter if their bodies are not fully symmetrical, or their behaviors are difficult or unexpected. They are be...

Proof that the world is coming to an end: page 37 of today's Columbia Flier. Newspapers run on advertising. Especially this one which has a large free distribution. Full page ads are a big deal. But, really? So, if this is the future of Columbia maybe I'll join the Chicken Little Chorus. Maybe.

I'm still pondering this thread on Twitter from HoCo Times reporter Fatimah Waseem: Key issue in sanctuary debate appears to circle around how a bill that "changes nothing" does so much to compromise safety and funding. Kittleman said there are no problems in Howard related to local enforcement and undocumented ppl. He doesn't see it as a proactive step. I ?ed if lack of problem points to fear of reporting issues or inability to reach out to pop. He said immigrant advocates say no prob. exist If they did, #hocomd will target issues, as in sheriff case. I said issues with sheriff persisted for yrs. He said county was proactive. Let's look at that last tweet. In reference to the situation with former Sheriff Fitzgerald, the County Executive says that the county's actions were proactive. Hmm. Let's look at this post from former Human Rights Commission Chair Genevieve Walker-Lightfoot: Then there is the issue of our former county...

So Wegman's has built a wall. Well, not really a wall. It's a lovely little alcove constructed of partitions, some plexiglass and some fairy lights. And I have an illustrative photo to prove my point, but Blogger is making things difficult for me at the moment. Maybe later. Success! From the outside looking in: It looks as though Wegman's is trying to feature their Burger Bar by giving it a dedicated seating area.  It's hard to tell, since it is plopped down right in the center of the prepared food area. About half a dozen tables remain on the perimeter. And of course you can still take your food upstairs. I haven't seen anyone sitting in the new fancy seating area during the two times I have been there since the change. I'm not sure people know quite what to do. Should there be a sign saying "Burger Bar seating"? I'm sure they made this change for a reason. I'm not sure that customers have any idea what that is.

Walking to school. Waiting for the bus. The temperatures are below freezing. Most kids would want to stay inside where it's warm. Heck, so would I. Imagine how kids feel when they don't have a proper winter coat. Or gloves. Or a hat. Just a reminder that you can help by contributing to the Help-a-Child Fund. From a post I wrote a while back: "The Help-a-Child Fund is a joint charitable project of the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) and the Howard County Education Association (HCEA). Since 1992, the fund has been the last resort safety net providing retail vouchers for new clothing, coats, shoes, eyeglasses, and more, for hundreds of our students. The fund had 447 requests last school year. So far this school year we have had 112 requests.   100% of the donations go to the students. Donations are tax deductible. There is no administrative cost to the Fund. All labor and materials are donated. Really, it is the ideal charity – close to home, immediately helpful...

In a press announcement dated November 21, 2016, County Executive Allan Kittleman announced the #OneHoward initiative. “In the past several weeks, I have learned of instances of bigotry, racism and intolerance and this isn’t who we are in Howard County,” said Kittleman. “I’ve heard of students who are afraid to go to school and of residents who feel we aren’t living in a civil society. We are better than this.” Community members were encouraged to take the #OneHoward Pledge. Here it is. What does it mean to be One Howard? To me it means that all are included, respected, valued. All.   That's why I was so puzzled to see Mr. Kittleman pre-emptively announce his rejection of CB-9, which proposes to make Howard County a sanctuary county. To announce this position without listening to citizens as a part of the hearing process is to effectively shut down/exclude differing points of view. How can this be viewed as sharing values of inclusion and respect? It can't.  ...

Howard County has plenty of chain restaurants. There are a few that my family enjoys, notably Bob Evans and Uno's. Some nights just seem to be the kind of night for heading back to the old familiar, sliding into a booth, and ordering one of our usual dishes. But we are more excited by independent restaurants. They simply have more personality. The recent closing of  Luna Bella in Hickory Ridge reminded me how important our mom and pop places are. Here are a few of our favorites: Chutney El Azteca Flavors of India Hickory Ridge Grill House of India Joe's Place Deli Maiwand Kabob Mimi's Kabob Second Chance Saloon What are the great local places you are devoted to? Do you have any particular menu items you recommend? What are the qualities that keep you coming back? This post was inspired by my husband's bringing home dinner from Mimi's Kabob last night, and the sad realization that I can't eat that same meal again for breakfast. I really could.

January 6, 2011: It's official! I won an IPad from the Shop Local Contest @elkridgepatch. 32gb -- woo hoo! Thanks, patchfolks! #sojazzed  Yes, I won a contest once,  and it was pretty amazing. Back in the day when Patch was young and we thought it would be the answer to local journalism, I entered a contest just to be a good sport and I won. It sounds hokey, but it's true. Having an iPad changed my life. I take it everywhere. I use it for music teaching, for lesson planning, for taking notes at faculty meetings. I take it to restaurants if I'm dining alone. If I'm at a community meeting or BoE meeting, I've got my iPad. And it's the first thing I reach for every morning when I write this blog. That original iPad is long gone, I'm on my third now. When I saw the reminder this morning in my Facebook memories it made me smile. Thanks, Patch.

Howard County has a new snow plow tracker. Now I would like to have some snow to go with it. I'm not alone. HCPSS students are already advocating for snow closings. Hope springs eternal. But how much snow? Hmm... Enough to test out the new snow plow tracker, I guess. Enough for one really good play-in-the-snow day for kids. Enough for neighbors to work together and help each other out. Enough for hot chocolate with marshmallows, photos on Facebook, and a brief cessation of everyday cares and woes. But not too much. How much is too much? When the same three streets are always the last to get plowed out. When low income families who rely on school meals are running out of food. When neighbors bicker over shoveled out spaces. When emergency responders struggle to reach citizens in crisis. When my widowed friend runs out of  chocolate for hunkering down and/or shoveling money to pay enterprising young neighbors to shovel her out. Yes. We would like snow. But just the right ...

A bit of light reading last night: the minutes from a recent Oakland Mills Board Meeting. I've been trying to keep up with the progress of the feasibility study. Remember that? I wasn't really keen on having the County Executive throw money at this request by the Oakland Mills Village Board, largely because Board leadership had spearheaded a plan to displace Oakland Mills residents in order to build a multi-million dollar sports complex. You remember that , don't you? When this legislation was coming up for a vote,  I wrote about  this  here, in "No Rewards for Bad Behavior". I expressed serious misgivings about the leadership of the OMVB, their goals, and their lack of transparency.  My view was not the majority view, shall we say. The money was awarded, the study moved forward. Meetings have been held and reports have been written. And here is some follow-up discussion from the Oakland Mills Board about the results of that study. (11/29/16) ...

Wandering far afield today: to the golf course. Recent news on the national scene includes this story of a biographer of the President-elect being kicked off the golf course by none other than the President-elect. As per usual, this post is not about the merits of that decision, but rather on a smaller but pesky detail. What he was wearing. Actually, not what he was wearing when he was kicked off the golf course, but what he was wearing when he was interviewed in television. He was wearing an entirely pink golfing ensemble and the Internet commenters just went wild. I confess that, for about the first ten comments, I thought it was amusing. How rare it is for a man to catch flak for what he was wearing. The shoe on the other foot for a change. And then the truth of what was happening sunk in. This man was being vilified because he had the audacity to wear pink . And everyone knows that pink is a "girl color." The deep-seated bias against women in our culture was rea...