Significant Thought – Part 2 “Numbers Mrs. Landingham, Give Me Numbers!”

Yesterday, I discussed how significant your vote was and the impact it can have on the community. Today, on the last day to register to vote, I want to talk about education. Education is an area I consider to be the biggest example of the importance of state and local elections. (Actually, it was my quality education that helped me not use a preposition at the end of the previous sentence; a fact I’m quite proud of.)

“Numbers Mrs. Landingham, Give me numbers!” 

Education – “Numbers Mrs. Landingham, Give me numbers!” was uttered by President Jed Bartlett to his longtime secretary. Maryland and Montgomery County are known for their public education systems. So let’s look at some numbers on education:

• USNews.com ranked 17 of Montgomery County’s 28 high schools in the top 1,000 nationally.
• With a budget of just under $5 billion, Montgomery County spends almost $2.2 billion on public schools.

I have run multiple election campaigns in the County. The one common denominator among all of the candidates I have worked for is that they have all had a good education. This observation was easily validated by the simple fact that they hired me, a proven trend amongst the well educated.

As some of you know, I’m currently working on my next campaign: The 2038 race for the House of Representatives. The candidate: my son. As you will find in future posts, I hold elected officials to a very high and uncompromisingly non-cynical standard. I will expect the same from my son, and I know that starts with a good education.

My investment in our public education system is pretty straightforward. However, I understand that not everyone in the county has a student in the system. Some might be asking how this affects you? Has anyone told you how smart you are for asking that?  Well a study conducted by Michigan State University found that “quality public schools benefit everyone.”

The study states two reasons for this:

• Public schools offer amenities to the entire community such as adult education courses, after-hours computer labs, workout facilities, auditorium space for churches and other groups, and more.
• Public schools have the more indirect benefit of promoting relationships among neighborhood residents. These relationships lead to issues getting solved such as broken streetlights, unplowed streets and crime problems. Issues that benefit everyone.

So let me ask you, do you agree Montgomery County should spend as much as it does on public education? Does the County spend too much? Well, I have some good news for you regardless of what you think: you have an opportunity to shape the future of Montgomery County’s public education system!

This November, you can vote for four of the seven elected Members of the Montgomery County Board of Education. Four of seven! The quality education I received tells me that’s a pretty big deal.

Abe Saffer

I am a Congressional lobbyist for the American Occupational Therapy Association, focusing on issues dealing with education for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. I've been active in politics and advocacy in Montgomery County, having served on the board of the Montgomery County Young Democrats, managed multiple local campaigns, and worked for Delegate Jeff Waldstreicher (D-18). In 2012 I received my Masters in Political Management with a concentration in political communication and campaigns from the Georges Washington University. I live in 20910 (Silver Spring) with my wife, Tonya. In my free time, I run the 2038 Congressional campaign for my son, Carson.