Progress or deKlein
As you may have figured out from my posts in the past, my family is hands-down the most important thing to me. At the top of the list of reasons why my wife and I chose to raise our family here in Howard County was the guarantee that my young daughter would receive a world-class education in our public schools. Our system “consistently ranks among Maryland’s top school districts,” our students “score above the national averages on standardized tests”, and “more than 90% of graduates continue their education beyond high school.” Howard County Public Schools were listed by Forbes magazine in 2007 as among the top ten school districts in the nation.
One of the strongest advocates for education has been Mary Kay Sigaty, councilwoman for District 4. In addition to her extensive record of public service, Mary Kay is a former teacher herself, and also served on the Howard County Board of Education. She has long been recognized as a leading advocate on education, of not compromising when it comes to our children’s future.
Thus, I was dismayed and confused to hear today that Alan Klein is announcing that he is running against Mary Kay for her council seat. With no credentials on education or relevant record of public service, this guy seems to be running to prove a point on a single issue. I couldn’t find anything in his record that would explain why he would be a better choice than an experienced, battle-tested, and well-loved public servant.
What I did find was a record of opposition – to everything. And what I have seen from him in the past is a consistent reinforcement of the dither and decline mentality of a few people in our community. Councilman Calvin Ball said it best: “Mary Kay is a hardworking public servant. I’ve only known [Klein] to be in opposition to everything. I’ve never heard him be positive.”
With a budget of over $800 million that directly, permanently, affects our kids and their education, we can’t play politics. I trust Mary Kay with those budget decisions. I trust her experience, and I can point to her record. For my family, Mary Kay is the only choice.
– Brian Dunn
Brian Dunn is a member of Columbia 2.0 and of the Kings Contrivance Village Board. The views expressed here are his only, and do not necessarily represent the views of either group.
C2.0 
You must not have looked very hard, Brian. Klein has a 35 year career as an educator. He spent 15 years as a teacher and school administrator. He has taught adults for the past 20 years. He is, frankly, an expert in education and has far more experience than Sigaty does on that issue.
Where is Alan Klein’s bio? I was not able to find anything put out by Alan or anything referencing his background.
… other than him being a self-employed consultant.
I wrote this piece to highlight Councilwoman Sigaty’s commitment to education. I also happen to believe she has the experience and vision to lead us during this pivotal time in our history.
Alan Klein, on the other hand, aligns himself with those who oppose any and all progress here in Howard County. That kind of narrow vision has no place in Columbia.