Governor's plot to take over schools foiled

Moonman is back!

Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. wants power over 11 failing baltimore schools, but he can't have it. State senators overrided a veto-made by the Maryland governor-that snatches the schools away from city government and hands it to state legislators. The Baltimore Sun said " a Democrat-dominated push" the veto-and several other vetos made by the governor-last week.


Here's the play-by-play, courtesy of the Sun:

The schools issue dominated much of the final day, however, and lobbying was frantic on both sides until just minutes before the vote.

Mayor Martin O'Malley stood at the top of the State House steps, approaching senators as they entered the building to make their decisions.

"Thank you for defending our kids' progress," he told Sen. Ralph M. Hughes, a Baltimore Democrat.

Then, as senators filed into the chamber, O'Malley, schools CEO Bonnie S. Copeland and other Baltimore officials took seats front and center in the balcony to watch as lawmakers, with little discussion, voted 30-17 to override Ehrlich's veto - one vote more than required to restore the moratorium.

Ehrlich's response? "I've never seen people celebrate so much over complete dysfunction," he said.

My question would be "what now?" I'm not entirely sure whether or not giving state or federal government complete power over dilapidated schools is a good thing. There's a reason why Ehrlich try to seize power of the Baltimore schools. If he won, would Maryland's state legislators do any better than the city government? After winning the battle-but not the war- Copeland said, "We already know what to do, and we're delighted the override gave us the opportunity to do it." Can they do it? Let's hope so. Thousands of children's futures are at stake.