School Board Elections: Who Are Teachers Rooting For In Anne Arundel?

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY, MD — The teachers union on Friday announced its endorsements in the upcoming Anne Arundel County Board of Education elections.

The Teachers Association of Anne Arundel County endorsed these candidates:

• Gloria Dent (District 1)
• Bob Silkworth (District 2)
• Erica McFarland (District 3)
• Dana Schallheim (District 5)
• Joanna Tobin (District 6)
• Jeremy York (District 7)

TAAAC endorsed all four incumbents running for re-election: Dent, Silkworth, Schallheim and Tobin.

Silkworth is the only candidate running unopposed.

TAAAC plans to wait until after the primary election to endorse a candidate in District 4. The union said it's still torn between Sarah McDermott and Stephanie Mutchler. It hopes both will advance to the General Election. TAAAC did not mention the only other candidate in the District 4 race, Juan Carlos Villao.

Sarah Lacey suspended her campaign in District 1 after TAAAC endorsed her opponent. Lacey confirmed the news to Patch on Thursday. District 1 challengers Ciera Harlee and Hunter Voss remain in the race.

"I have just learned that TAAAC is choosing to endorse another candidate in the District 1 race," Lacey told Patch in a Thursday email. "While I had hoped they would make a different decision, I do not desire to run without their support. Therefore, I am suspending my campaign, effective immediately."

Related: School Board Candidate Suspends Campaign, Teachers Endorse Opponent

TAAAC President Nicole Disney-Bates released this statement on Friday.

“The slate of candidates endorsed by our union have either proven track records of supporting our educators, students, and public schools or in their current roles align with the direction our union envisions for the future of public education in Anne Arundel County.

“Following the completion of a candidate questionnaire and interview with our members, these candidates have expressed clear support for collective bargaining rights, increased funding for our public schools, investments in all our students, and working with our union.

“The next term of this board of education will likely see challenges to our school libraries, require support for our LGBTQ+ students, and make changes to our school system dictated by the Blueprint For Maryland’s Future. This slate is the best chance for educators and students have, in collaboration with our union, to see AACPS succeed.”

Every county school board seat is up for election this year. The full candidate list is posted here. Voters can see what district they live in by using this search tool.

The school board primary election is on May 14. The top two vote-getters in the primary move onto the Nov. 5 General Election. If there are only one or two candidates in the primary, both automatically advance to the General Election regardless of the primary results.

More information on this year's election is posted here. That website has more details on voter registration, voting locations, early voting, mail-in ballots and dropbox voting.