Ever since the first time a county executive convinced a governor to ignore a citizen committee's choice for school board, Anne Arundel residents have been looking for a new way to select board members.
But it was public frustration with the way the board handled a teacher-student sex scandal two years ago that convinced state legislators to submit four bills to take the power of appointment away from the governor.
One bill calls for an elected school board, while the others offer variations on allowing the county executive to make the five-year appointments.
"It's every two or three years that school board bills surface. This year, with a brand new legislature, with a 50 percent turnover in the Senate and the House, I wouldn't bet on the passage or defeat of any of those bills," said Sen. Philip C. Jimeno, a Brooklyn Park Democrat.
"But we'll let the bills be heard," he said.
To gauge public opinion, the county delegation has scheduled a public hearing on the bills at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Joint Hearing Room of the Legislative Services Building on State Circle.
"We're encouraging everyone to come out and once and for all voice their opinion on how they want the county to go," said Del. Joan Cadden, a Brooklyn Park Democrat.
Mrs. Cadden and Dels. Marsha G. Perry, a Crofton Democrat, and Janet Greenip, a Crofton Republican, introduced the bill calling for an elected board.
"If the people of Anne Arundel County are going to have the people they want to serve on the board, then they'll have to go to an elected board," Mrs. Cadden said. "Nothing is more political than the process we have now."
Now, the Anne Arundel County School Board Nominating Convention Committee sponsors a series of meetings at which delegates from community associations interview potential board members, then vote.
The name of the top vote-getter is sent to the governor and the executive.
Seven times in the past eight years the governor has bypassed the nominating convention's choice in favor of a candidate recommended by the executive.
County Executive John G. Gary wants to make his own choices for the board.
He asked Mr. Jimeno to introduce a bill that would grant the executive the appointment power and allow the County Council to recall a board member for certain reasons.
Mr. Jimeno introduced the bill, but also urged Gov. Parris N. Glendening to focus less on the recommendation of the executive and pay more attention to the convention's choice.
"I introduced the bill solely as a courtesy to Mr. Gary. . .I think that one has the least chance of passage. I can't see any board member wanting to serve under those conditions," Mr. Jimeno ** said.
A third bill sponsored by Del. Michael E. Busch, an Annapolis Democrat, would require the governor to select a board member from a list of nominees supplied by the nominating convention.
A fourth bill, introduced by Robert C. Baldwin, a Crownsville Republican, would require school board candidates to submit applications to the County Council.
The council would forward names to a citizen nominating committee that would, in turn, forward nominees to the county executive, who would make the appointment.