Robert A. Silkworth
Running for school board in Anne Arundel County District 2
How old will you be on Election Day (Nov. 5)?
75
Are you currently employed? If so, where, and what is your job title?
Retired teacher and educator with 49 years experience.
What is the highest level of education that you completed, and where did you get that degree?
Master’s equivalent, Towson University.
Why are you running for the school board?
I taught for 49 years for the kids! I ran for the school board in 2020 for the kids! I believe I have served them well during my first term because of my knowledge of the educational system in Anne Arundel County as well as what is essential for our students to belong, grow and succeed! I am running for a second term for the kids! We have more work to do to go from a good school system to a great school system.
What makes you a good candidate for the board?
I am a 49-year teacher who stays focused on improving student outcomes. The only politics you will hear from me is the politics of kids!
What is the most important issue facing your school board and what would you do about it if elected?
There are many. We know that the mental health of our students and staff is our number one issue. In Anne Arundel County Public Schools, we are focused on providing help and mentors to our students and staff. The building of relationships is the heart of teaching in the world today. Everyone at all levels must build solid relationships with our students based on caring, trust and respect.
We must also meet the mandates of the Maryland Blueprint, the law! In Anne Arundel County Public Schools, we are well on our way to doing just that!
Please name a public leader you admire and explain why.
I admire Steuart Pittman, our county executive in Anne Arundel County because of his steadfast support for our schools, students and families. In order to meet the mandates of the Maryland Blueprint, we need public leaders who believe that the future of our county, state, and nation lies within the walls of our schools, where our great students are doing great things and are preparing themselves for the future ahead.
The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, passed by the General Assembly in 2021, is a 10-year plan that includes increased education funding to support early childhood education, increased teacher starting pay, college/career-readiness standards for high school graduates, and expanded services to multilingual and impoverished families, among other goals. Please tell us your views on the Blueprint and how it will affect your school district.
The Blueprint has already impacted our district. It is not perfect. It does have some flaws. However, the premise is sound. Resources must be provided where the needs exist. All students deserve the chance to receive the best possible education to prepare them to be citizens in an ever-changing technological society. There is a mandate for a minimum starting salary for teachers, which we are meeting thanks to the help and support of our political friends. There is a mandate for a new career ladder, which we have already developed, which is becoming a model for other districts. There is a mandate for highly qualified teachers, and we are well on our way to meeting that mandate. We will continue to do our best to meet the requirements of the Maryland Blueprint.
Some school districts nationwide are placing new limits on the use of cellphones in middle and high schools. What do you think should be the policy on student use of cellphones in your district, and why do you support that policy?
We have developed new electronic device guidelines for 2024-2025, and it is our expectation that the guidelines be respected and followed by students, parents, and staff. We are looking at our policies to develop appropriate policies and regulations to make sure that students are focused in their classes on learning.
Are you satisfied with your school district's efforts to ensure the safety of its students? What, if anything, should be done to improve school safety in your district?
I am satisfied. We are focused on student and staff health and safety as a number one priority, and we will continue that focus. The best way to guarantee safety is to provide help and support to stakeholders in need.
Do you think there are circumstances when books should be removed from school libraries? If so, what kind of books should be removed, and who should make those decisions?
In Anne Arundel County Public Schools, we have a policy and a process to deal with individual cases. I have been a part of that process as an educator. I served as the chair of a committee created to deal with a parent concern about a specific book at North County High School in 2011. A committee of students, teachers, parents and community stakeholders participated and provided a recommendation to the board of education, which was accepted. The process does work.
Some school districts enact policies allowing transgender and gender nonconforming students to use their preferred pronouns while at the same time not informing those students' parents about that decision. What is your opinion of such policies?
It is not my job to tell students who they are. It is not my job to parent students. It is my job to see that every student has the best chance for a great education. Communication and collaboration are the keys to successful relationship building so that our kids can all belong, grow and succeed!
