2022 Candidate Profile: Carol L. Mueller Runs For Harford County Board Of Education

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — Early voting will run from Oct. 27 through Nov. 3 in Maryland. Early voting centers in the county will be open from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. each day. Patch asked each of the candidates answers to the same questions and here you will meet Carol L. Mueller, candidate for Harford County Board of Education District C.

Name

Carol L. Mueller

Campaign website

City or town of residence

Bel Air, MD

Office sought

Harford County Board of Education District C

Party affiliation

non-partisan

Education

PhD in Curriculum and Instruction; MEd Secondary Education, advanced certification in Geology; BSEd Secondary Education, Earth and Space Science

Occupation

Retired since 2020
Professor Harford Community College (12 years)
middle school and high school teacher (8 years)
other college experience (3 years)
instructional aide (2 years)

Family

Kent is my husband of 19 years. I have two grown children who graduated from HCPS and four grandchildren.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

none

Age

67

Previous public office, appointive or elective

I am currently serving as the vice-president of the Board of Education. I was appointed in February 2020 by the county council after the death of the previous representative.

Why are you seeking this office?

I took office two weeks before the schools shut-down for COVID-19. We are making great progress in the recovery process and I have the skills needed to assist in this effort and to move the school system forward.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ___, and this is what I intend to do about it.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I have a background in education and understand much of how the system works. I am concerned with improving and enhancing the educational experience of our students. There are state and federal laws by which we must abide. To work as a change agent you need to realize tearing down the local system won't make the difference, but working with the legislators and Maryland State Department of Education can.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community?

I am the incumbent.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

Two major issues are the mental health of our children, and the Blueprint for Maryland's Future. We are already working on addressing mental health issues, including bullying in the schools, but there is still much work left to be done. I am serving on the Blueprint committee for HCPS in order to make sure that the funds we receive are used appropriately to provide the best possible educational experience for our students.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I have dedicated over thirty years of my life to working in education and improving the educational experience for the children. I have served as the treasurer for the National Organization for Student Success (NOSS), the president of the Maryland Chapter of NOSS, and as board member of the National Center for Developmental Education. In 2018, I was awarded the John and Suanne Roueche Teaching Excellence Award from the League for Innovation, and, in 2019, won the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) Excellence award for my work at Harford Community College. Currently, I am serving on the Board of Directors for the Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MABE), on the Legislative committee for MABE, and as the treasurer for the Maryland chapter of the American Association of University Women. Locally, I am on the HCPS curriculum committee, family life committee, and serve as the Vice-President of the Board of Education. Since I retired from Harford Community College, I have continued to do research in education and have published several articles and co-authored a book for new college students.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Whatever you do in life, strive to do the best job possible. Never be satisfied, always work to do better.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

As I learned quickly with the onset of COVID-19, you need to be able to think on your feet and pivot as the situation changes. Being on the Board of Education is a full-time job and you need to be able to dedicate the time and the effort to do the job properly. I have gone to every training possible and gotten to know the people in both the district and the local government that I need to work with to get the job done. I also know the parameters of my position, including what I have control over and what is decided at the state and federal level. Education is my passion and I have dedicated my life to serving children. I care about what is best for all the families of Harford County, not my own agenda.