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News and Notes



While I was home last night nursing bronchitis, a sinus infection and possible pneumonia (!) quite a bit was happening in Columbia/HoCo. A tip of the hat to the people who got out and participated.

Over two hundred people joined in protest in Downtown Columbia in support of a vote for impeachment of the 45th President of the United States. It is heartening to know that, even at such a busy time of year, people will stop everything and come out to support our nation and the rule of law. It is worth noting that principles on which Columbia was founded are completely at odds with the modus operandi of the current administration. 

Meanwhile, on Route 108, the Board of Education was able to chose a new chair solely because one of the nominees voluntarily withdrew her name from consideration. In my opinion, both candidates are extremely able, knowledgeable, and each bring unique qualifications to take on a leadership role. Frankly, the Board was lucky to be able to chose from the two of them. The problem, to my mind, is the splitting of the board into two immovable factions in the face of making this choice. This does not bode well for anything that is to follow. Of course I hope I am wrong on this. We will need much better leadership from all members than a board frozen by factions.

Around town various schools were presenting their Winter Concerts. You won’t be surprised to hear me say that I hold such experiences to be as important as the protest on Little Patuxent Parkway and the meeting at the Board of Education. 

The opportunity to learn about the arts and to perform as artists is an essential part of a well-rounded curriculum and complete education. The arts help students explore realities, relationships and ideas that cannot be conveyed simply in words or numbers. And the arts engender innovative problem solving that students can apply to other academic disciplines while at the same time, provide experience working as a team. (“The Importance of Music”)

Supporting arts experiences for our students would be valuable enough alone purely for the joy of it, but joy alone is not the sole result. Arts education builds more involved, connected, engaged adults. The arts build community.

And community is clearly what we need right now in Columbia/Howard County.

*****




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