Joanna Conti's blog

This column ran on April 20, 2014 in the Capital Gazette
and on April 21, 2014 in the Maryland Gazette

This column ran in the Capital Gazette on 1/3/14 and
in the Maryland Gazette on 1/4/14

During 44 combined years of teaching, Leo and Diane Zerhusen had seen so many children coming to school without adequate clothes, school supplies or food to eat that they felt they had to do something to help.
 
Lisa Hurka Covington was shattered when her lovely, talented sister shot herself at the age of 28.
 
Lucinda Merry-Browne was driven by a lifelong desire to help theatrical students perform professional-quality theatre.  
 

This column ran in the Baltimore Sun
on 8/2/13 without graphs
 

The 2013 Maryland State Assessment (MSA) scores that came out in July contain very little good news and raise serious questions about the way we’re teaching math in middle school.  They also show there has been no progress in closing the achievement gap between white and African-American students in Anne Arundel County for the fourth year in a row.

This column ran in the Capital on March 3, 2013 and
in the Maryland Gazette on April 3, 2013

As I watched the horrific video of police officers racing into Sandy Hook Elementary School, I was reminded yet again that our police officers and firefighters regularly put their own lives at risk to protect us.  They should be compensated fairly for doing such difficult jobs well.

Circuit Court Judge Dennis M. Sweeney convicted John Leopold yesterday on the following two charges of Misconduct in Office: 
 

Misuse of Executive Police Officers for Political & Campaign Activities

One of the fundamental principles of democracy is that voters have the right to choose who governs them.  Yet as we wrap up the review of the County Charter done every ten years, the County Council is poised on Monday to retain for themselves the right to choose a new County Executive or County Council member should a vacancy occur any time after the first year of a four-year term.

Anne Arundel County Public Schools is implementing a new grading policy in the fall that will be detrimental to both our students and teachers.  Among other things, the new policy allows middle and high school students to retake tests and redo projects without penalty, with only the higher score being calculated into their grade.  The policy also guarantees students a minimum grade of 50% on any work they attempt and allows them to turn in work

County Executive John Leopold was indicted Friday on four counts of misconduct in office and one count of fraudulent misappropriation of county money.   The indictment contains a number of appalling allegations that Mr.

This column appeared as a Letter to the Editor
in the Capital on 3/4/12

The County Council deadlock over appointing a replacement for Daryl Jones points to a fundamental flaw in Anne Arundel County’s charter.