John Huber
What They’re Not Telling You About “Students With Disabilities” and School Discipline
By John Huber Every few months, another article circulates with a headline about how “students with disabilities” are suspended at disproportionately higher rates than students without disabilities. The intent is valid: to spotlight a lack of support and call for improvement. But the term itself, “students with disabilities,” is misleading, and the information that follows …
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Crossing County Lines: Worcester Commissioner Praises Somerset While Misrepresenting Her Own
At a recent Worcester County Public Schools (WCPS) budget hearing, a familiar theme was in full effect. County Commissioners questioned school leaders over budgetary priorities. Unfortunately, it wasn’t just about numbers. Commissioner Abbott questioned student achievement data, particularly that of Hispanic students. She cited what she claimed was a dismal 19.4% proficiency rate in math. …
Worcester County’s Budget Battle – Politics and Public Education
Another year, another budget battle in Worcester County. What should have been a straightforward funding process for public education has once again become a showcase of political posturing and bureaucratic friction. The root of the issue? Teacher pay—and the widening gap between local governance and state mandates. Basically, the conflict is that the Blueprint for …
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How Decades of Lax Standards for Students and Teachers Are Fueling Burnout and Chaos in Schools
As the 2024–25 school year winds down, the trend continues to deepen across the United States: teacher burnout. According to a recent report by Stateline, one in eight teaching positions is either vacant or filled by an underqualified educator Much of the public discussion has focused on pandemic-related disruptions and political tensions in education, a …
Delaware Defies Federal School Discipline Order: What should they have done?
Delaware’s Milford School District appears to be operating as if the Reinstating Common Sense School Discipline Policies Presidential Executive Order does not exist. This federal directive explicitly rejects suspension thresholds and mandates that disciplinary decisions be based on student behavior rather than statistical quotas. Yet, Milford continues to adhere to state-mandated suspension thresholds, raising concerns …
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Worcester’s Incoming Superintendent’s First Challenge: Balancing Equity and Compliance
On Thursday, President Donald Trump announced various federal orders aimed at reshaping school discipline across the United States. His plan demands a hard pivot away from race-based considerations and toward strict, behavior-based accountability in K-12 classrooms. While many conservatives welcomed the move, it immediately raised questions for states like Maryland — where educational policies have …
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Restoring Order: Trump’s Push for Accountability in K-12 Discipline
At an Oval Office event on April 23, President Trump announced a set of executive orders “promising a more conservative approach to K-12 instruction”. Trump and his aides framed the initiative as restoring “common sense” discipline: the White House statement explained its goal is to ensure schools’ “discipline policies are based on objective behavior, not …
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A Diploma Without Proficiency?
Maryland’s Rising Graduation Rate Raises Questions About Academic Readiness By John Huber, MarylandK12.com April 2025 Maryland’s high school graduation rate has reached its highest point in seven years, according to a recent article in Maryland Matters. This appears to be a sign that the state is moving in the right direction when it comes to …
When Following the Rules Becomes a Disruption: The Towson Flag Controversy and a Lesson in Process
In a situation out of Towson, Maryland, a high school student’s attempt to call attention to a missing flag has sparked debate—not about the flags themselves, but about the process schools follow when student behavior becomes disruptive. The incident has garnered attention in part because of the involvement of an alleged suspension that may not …
Unfunded, Unrealistic, Unworkable: The Truth About Collaborative Time
The latest changes to Maryland’s Blueprint for Education, as reported by The Baltimore Sun, show exactly what many educators and administrators have seen coming for years: the plan to increase collaborative time for teachers is simply not sustainable—mathematically or practically—without significant hiring of new teachers, which neither the state nor local school systems can afford, …
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