Romney, Santorum and Gingrich may be the stars of Maryland’s Tuesday primary election, but Montgomery County residents will also have the chance to cast votes for school board representatives. This year, one of the at-large seats and seats in two districts, districts 2 and 4, are up for grabs. (The district 4 race only has two candidates and both will automatically advance to the November general election.) 

Seven residents serve on the Montgomery County Board of Education at all times—two at-large members and five members representing geographical districts. Members are elected to four-year terms.

Four residents are competing for the at-large seat:

Lou August—Owner of a high-tech business and father of four MCPS-educated children, August says that education “is being dramatically innovated.” To catch up, county schools need to provide on-demand, online classes to every home. “For families without a PC or Internet, MCPS will provide them at no cost to taxpayers,” August writes on his website.

His priorities are:

• Learn anytime, from anywhere.
• Work-based learning partnerships.
• Fiscal responsibility.
• Improve student behavior.
• Improve life skills.

For more information about August, head to his campaign website. The Gazette also profiled him in August 2010.

Phil Kauffman—A member of the Montgomery County Board of Education since 2008, Kauffman is seeking to be re-elected to his at-large seat. He works as deputy assistant general council of the Department of Veterans Affairs. He believes that “public education is the single greatest investment our community can make,” according to his website. His goals include moving the school system forward and greater support for educators.

His priorities are:

• Ensuring our public schools remain among the best in the country by continuing to improve.
• Producing graduates with essential 21st-century skills.
• Providing students with opportunities to participate in athletics, arts and extracurricular activities.
• Giving educators the support they need to inspire and engage students.
• Providing fiscal accountability.

For more information about Kauffman, visit his campaign website.

Morris Panner – Endorsed by The Washington Post’s editorial board, Panner is the CEO of a health care information technology company and the father of four elementary-aged children. He believes that Montgomery County should not take its success for granted—innovation and improvement are needed.

The Post said, “Mr. Panner recognizes that current benefit programs are unsustainable, and he is thoughtful and forthright about the need to revisit how teachers are compensated in ways that recognize the reality of today’s career paths.” 

His priorities are:

• "Fund education responsibly and sustainably: Our County is threatened with unprecedented budget challenges. We must make education a priority and do it responsibly."

• "Attract and retain the highest quality educators: Great teachers make great schools. We need to continue to attract the best and make sure we allow them to innovate and lead."

• "Strengthen local schools: Local schools make great communities. We must ensure every child gets a superior education."

• "Strive for excellence: We face the most competitive global economy in history. Our children need tools to succeed."

For more information about Panner, visit his campaign website, and read about Panner on Chevy Chase Patch.

Aryeh Shudofsky—Candidate information is not available for Shudofsky. To learn more, read her answers to questions from the Parents Coalition and The Gazette on teacher salaries and core standards.