Rushern Baker cheats on his education exam

ANALYSIS/OPINION:

Oh, the things that pour out of politicians’ mouths after they win key endorsements.

Rushern Baker III, Democrat, is up. He’s up because he’s running for Maryland governor.

He’s also up because, as a two-term Prince George’s County executive, much has gone awry with county schools, students and teachers since he took office.

Also, Mr. Baker is up because on Thursday he released his “10-Point Education Proposal to Make Maryland Schools Number One in the Country Again.” (Points 1, 2 and 3 should be readin’, ’ritin’ and ’rithmetic. No. 4 should be accountability.)

His 10 points are:

1) Early start initiatives.

2) Strengthening low-performing schools.

3) 21st century career programs.

4) Enhanced support for educators.

5) Career technical education.

6) Mental and behavioral health.

7) School infrastructure.

8) Funding and performance accountability.

9) Curricular innovation.

10) College access and affordability.

His 10 points beg one question: Does anyone represent a new, innovative, provocative idea?

Uh, no. None does.

None does because the cookie-cutter Democrats in Maryland not only crib from each other, but, like Prince George’s school bureaucrats who boosted undeserving students, they cheat.

Mr. Baker takes jabs at Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, who’s seeking re-election, and throws a left hook at President Trump — and he does so in the same round.

“As governor of Maryland, Rushern Baker will oppose efforts by the Trump Administration and Betsy DeVos to undermine public education generally and its stakeholders,” Mr. Baker says in a press release. “He will resist Republican-led cuts in education funding, reversals of anti-discrimination statutes, attacks on unions and worker rights, and efforts to undermine urban school districts that serve our state and nation’s most vulnerable students. The silence in Annapolis from the governor’s office on these and related urgent issues will end when Rushern Baker becomes governor of Maryland.”

Mr. Baker goes on to make promises he knows won’t be delivered: “Rushern Baker’s comprehensive education proposal will boost academic performance, provide better mental and behavioral services, ensure that schools are providing the support beyond learning that is necessary for success, help disadvantaged students, narrow achievement gaps between low-income and affluent families, recruit and retain high-quality teachers and make college more affordable. Rushern Baker will also work to effectively collaborate with non-profits, the private sector and government agencies in order to better prepare Maryland students are 21st century jobs.”

Mr. Baker couldn’t even bring himself to concede to parents that for too long he had stood by his man, embattled schools CEO Kevin Maxwell, who exits stage left this month.

Having won the endorsements of much of Maryland’s Democratic elite (and The Washington Post), Mr. Baker is taking too much for granted.

Residents in his home county are going to ask what has he done for them lately, and the rest of the state is going to ask “Rushern who?”

Most Marylanders know that, as governor, you can’t darken the Trump White House. Maryland’s political muscle atrophied when Barack Obama moved in January 2009.

So, on that latter issue, Mr. Baker must be ever so cautious and ask himself: Did big-name Democrats endorse me to win, or did they endorse me to be their lap dog?

⦁ Deborah Simmons can be contacted at dsimmons@washingtontimes.com.