Approach to Schools Splits Pr. George's Candidates

Baker, who is executive director of a not-for-profit education consulting group, wants some schools to offer classes year-round to prevent children from forgetting what they've learned during the summer. He has also proposed offering bonuses for mid-career teachers to discourage them from leaving.

The county executive has no formal role in running the school system day-to-day or in setting curriculum. But Baker contends that the job provides a powerful bully pulpit that he said Johnson has not fully utilized.

Many parents and county leaders agree that the system needs a stronger hand. They argue that Johnson was too distant while the system struggled with the departure of Hornsby.

"The job of the county executive is not to get out of the way," said former County Council member Peter A. Shapiro, who was has not endorsed either candidate. "Whether it's Jack Johnson or Rushern Baker, what I'm hearing loud and clear is people want not just a good enough executive but a visionary and activist executive."

Johnson has his own ideas about the next four years: He's proposed a broad initiative to deal with social issues that lead children to come to school unprepared. He said he is still formulating details of a proposal that would involve county social services and the police. He would also like to see more options for students, including academic high schools that require testing for admission, vocational schools, even a boarding school for at-risk students.

But he said that what the schools need now is continued steady funding to back the vision of schools chief executive John E. Deasy, who arrived May 1 -- not a meddling county executive.

"You have to be the moral leader for the school system, and you have to do it in a way that you don't undermine or try to replace your judgment for the school board's judgment or the CEO's judgment," said Johnson, who has been endorsed by the county's four education unions. "If you do that, you create issues that are just not helpful."

Meanwhile, Baker faces anger from many parents and school staff over his activism when he served in the House of Delegates. In 2002, Baker led the charge to dismiss the elected school board, which had engaged in years of stormy political fighting.

He said the move was necessary to prevent a state takeover of county schools and provide stability. But many blame Baker for this year's chaotic election season, featuring more than 40 candidates vying for a spot on a newly elected nine-member board.

The county executive candidates are trying to woo such parents as David Aguilar. The West Laurel father sends his 12-year-old daughter to private school but would like to choose public schools when she starts high school. He said he is optimistic about changes Deasy has proposed but fears that they will take too long to benefit his daughter.

Still, on the basis of that optimism -- rising school funding -- he's decided that the county executive has his vote. "I'm impressed enough to give him another shot," he said.