Burroughs comes out on top, other school board incumbents in serious trouble

Voters in Prince George’s County have sent a clear message to the members of the Prince George’s County Board of Education, we value an aggressive approach to governing that requires questioning the superintendent.

In tonight’s elections five of the nine seats on the board were up for election. In four of them incumbents defended themselves against aggressive challengers. Rosalind Johnson who represents District 1 decided not to run for reelection. As of reporting time only Edward Burroughs was winning the top spot despite a challenger who was endorsed by the Washington Post and the teachers union. Burroughs was endorsed by all of the other unions who represent school system employees.

Not only was Burroughs winning in his bid to remain on the board, he was winning big. As of reporting Burroughs led his closest challenger Andrew Nottingham 66% to 15%. This was after a colleague of his, Peggy Higgins, took to the editorial page of the Gazette imploring residents to defeat him. It was also after Burroughs was censored by the rest of the board after investigating parent complaints at a school despite being asked not to by Superintendent Hite. Voters disagreed and tonight are rewarding him with a huge victory.

Burroughs will face off against Nottingham in the November general election as they are the top two winners tonight.

In District 1 David Murray, close friend of Edward Burroughs, also is having a great night. Murray lost in 2010 to incumbent Rosalind Johnson by a few percent and this time without her in the race appears to be on the verge to winning her seat. Murray as of reporting leads Zabrina Epps 55% to 31%. He and Epps will embark on a final face off in November as well after emerging from tonight’s primary.

In District 4 incumbent Patrica Eubanks stands a very good chance of losing her seat. Former Cheverly Councilman Micah Watson leads the field with 33% and two other challengers, former Glenarden Councilman Dennis Smith and Sandy Vaughn are in a close race for second with 21.11% and 20.92% respectively. Eubanks is not far behind with 20.96%. The winner out of those three will face Watson in the November general.

In District 5 Board Chair Jacobs is getting spanked badly by University of Maryland freshman Raaheela Ahmed. Jacobs who is in her second term on the board and fifth as chair is running behind Ahmed with only 25% of the vote compared to her 34%. Fellow Board Member Higgins who implored county voters to reelect Jacobs and defeat Burroughs, Ahmed and Murray campaigned hard for Jacobs and it appears it is not working. Ahmed will have to maintain that led against Jacobs in November when the two face off one-on-one.

In District 7 incumbent Henry Armwood also is losing to newcomer Carletta Fellows by a large amount. Armwood has 24% to Fellows 32%. Fellows has made accountability a theme of her campaign and has taken that message to Armwood for his strong defense of the administration. The two will face each other one-on-one in November.

So all in all the message from tonight is clear, voters expect their board members to ask the tough questions Edward Burroughs has been asking, they demand accountability, and when necessary they hope their representatives will vote against proposals of the superintendent. Those who have worked hard not to do that are seeing the results of that tonight.

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From the Editor-in-Chief: Peggy Higgins comes out against Burroughs, plays age card against Murray and Ahmed

They did it two years ago and with Ms. Higgins they are planning to do it again.

In today’s Gazette Peggy Higgins, who owes her Vice-Chairmanship to the vote of Edward Burroughs, today endorsed the anyone but Edward proposition. Why? Well it is not because he has not represented the voices of the 8th district well, it is not that he hasn’t been an advocate for teachers and students, it is also not that he has not been able to understand the information presented to the board, her sole reason for being against Board Member Burroughs is he is too young.

Remember when Steve Morris played this card in 2010 against Edward Burroughs? The voters in the 8th district showed their contempt for that type of dismissal of a young man who has been on the board twice as long as Higgins by electing him with over 58% of the vote or 3,710 votes more than the older, more mature, Morris. Actually if you look at the numbers the only candidates who won their seats with more votes were Higgins, Jacobs, Boston, and Beck. Burroughs did better than Johnson, Waller, Armwood, and Eubanks. We say this to say, the people in his district have examined his age and ruled it doesn’t matter. He has the experience and judgement they wanted.

The craziest thing the Vice-Chair says in this attack on Burroughs as well as candidates David Murray (District 1) and Ahmed (District 2) is that;

Board members who have not had self-supporting jobs and have not paid taxes and mortgages are not able to bring knowledgeable perspective when taking action on taxpayer dollars.

Want to know why this is crazy? The board has nine elected members, only three of them have jobs and only four own homes. Is she saying that the other members who are retired or on unemployment should be booted from the board? How about the one that rents a home or rents a trailer?

Last December when Ms. Higgins took her seat as Vice-Chair some in the county said for a community overwhelmingly black, it was wrong to have a white person in the vice-chair seat. When she was elected in 2010 some said in a deeply social conservative county like Prince George’s her being gay should deprive her the right to serve on the board. The people who said both of those things were wrong. Had they decided to vote against her because she would become a rubber stamp for the superintendent, they might have a point. Had they said she would lack the backbone to stand up for teachers and students who weren’t being served well in schools in her own district, that might be a valid point. Since they only opposed her election to these offices because of her race and sexual orientation they were wrong. She is wrong for opposing these fine upstanding citizens, not because of their positions on the issues, but solely on their age.

Peggy Higgins should be a more thoughtful leader for the county, that she is not makes one question her readiness to lead. You really have to question how she will be able to “form consensus” with Burroughs and Murray should they both be elected in November. God bless her should Ahmed be successful at knocking off Jacobs and joining them.

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County governing boards change gavels, Harrison prepares to take over & Jacobs holds on

Prince George's County Councilwoman Andrea Harrison

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If source reports are correct, Councilwoman Andrea Harrison (D-Springdale) is expected to be named chairman of the Prince George’s County Council today. Harrison previously served as Vice-Chair of the council and withdrew her campaign for chairman after Ingrid Turner (D-Greenbelt) locked up the five needed votes. Harrison is also chair of the Council of Governments which she is expected to give up in January when Frank Principi of Woodbridge takes over.

The County Council is expected to elect their new leadership today during their meeting at 11:00AM in Upper Marlboro.

Last night School Board Member Verjeana Jacobs (D-Bowie) was elected to her fifth term as chair of the Prince George’s County Board of Education. She was elected 9-1 with only Board Member Edward Burroughs voting no. Peggy Higgins (D-College Park) was elected to replace Donna Beck as Vice-Chair.

Other News Today- Former County Executive Jack Johnson is expected to be sentenced for his role in a wide ranging corruption scheme in Prince George’s County. His wife, former Councilwoman Leslie Johnson will be sentenced on Friday.