Like many parents across Calvert County, I listened intently as both candidates for the superintendent of public schools spoke through a virtual forum held on March 7th. The process of selecting a new candidate has taken place, thus far, behind closed doors. Last night, parents and students were given a first glimpse of the process as the candidates were handed pre-scripted questions that revealed two critical facts.

• Both candidates are so ideologically similar and lacking in diversity of thought, that they do not represent a choice for the stakeholders of Calvert County Public Schools.
• Neither candidate comes from a school system representative of Calvert County Public Schools. Our goals and challenges are very different than what they have experienced therefore their strategies will not apply and their experience invalid.

There is one clear point that resonated throughout the forum: Neither candidate is a good fit for Calvert County.

It is now, therefore, necessary that we, the stakeholders of Calvert County Public Schools, demand an immediate halt to any further deliberation on these candidates. Moreover, it is further resolved that the stakeholders demand transparency in the selection process for a superintendent of schools. Specifically, we must be given the following information:

1. A complete list of all serious candidates.
2. Detailed information regarding the involvement that the CCPS central office has in the selection process.
3. A detailed timeline for when a vote may take place on a new candidate.
4. All correspondence between the CCPS central office and Ray and Associates.