Meet HoCo Education Board Candidate: Sezin Palmer

COLUMBIA, MD — When voters cast their ballots in the Nov. 3 elections, they will be asked to select individuals to serve on the Howard County's board of education.

Patch asked each candidate to answer questions to help provide voters with information about who they are and their stances on various issues. We are printing their responses in full, unedited except for spelling or punctuation. Below are the responses from candidate Sezin Palmer.

Age (as of Election Day)

45

Town/City of Residence

Columbia

Office Sought

County School Board

If you are a congressional candidate, please indicate for which district (District 1, District 3, etc.)

BOE District 4

Party Affiliation

Unaffiliated

Family

2 boys in HCPSS - one in high school and one in middle school

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

My husband is a USMC LtCol reservist

Education

BSEE - University of Maryland, MSEE - Johns Hopkins University

Occupation

Executive in a research and development organization; >20 years professional experience

Campaign website

www.sezin4boe.org

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

None

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The single most pressing issue facing our BOE at the moment is COVID and getting our children back into a safe and healthy learning environment. While the COVID pandemic will eventually subside as a vaccine is developed and administered, the impact of COVID will be with us for years to come. Along with the challenges exacerbated by COVID is the steady decline in performance of the HCPSS. As a lifelong resident and graduate of HCPSS as well as the mother of two boys currently in HCPSS, I am extremely concerned about the abysmal performance outcomes such as only 56 percent proficiency in English Language Arts for all 4th graders and similar performance in math that have become the norm in HCPSS. We have a school system in decline that requires new and innovative thinking to address consistent budgetary shortfalls, increasing class sizes, and a new norm of cutting critical educational programs.

Do you support Black Lives Matter and what are your thoughts on the demonstrations held since the death of George Floyd and the shooting of Jacob Blake?

I unequivocally support the Black Lives Matter movement and, like many Americans, have been devastated and angered by the treatment of Black and Brown people in our country. I believe we must do all we can to ensure that Black lives are valued just as every life should be valued in our society.

What are your thoughts on the campaign to "defund" the police?

I do not support the campaign to “defund” the police. I do support retraining police to focus more on deescalation and approaches to ensure all citizens are treated fairly and equally. I do support adding counselors to the police rolls to support police during calls involving domestic abuse and mental health.

What are your thoughts on the state and national response to the coronavirus pandemic? Do you favor such measures as limiting operation of non-essential businesses or restricting indoor/outdoor dining? And do you favor a nationwide mask mandate?

I believe the state and national response to the COVID-19 pandemic were reasonable, even if not optimal, given what we knew at the time decisions were being made. I think it is easy to criticize leaders in hindsight after additional information has become available. Given our lack of understanding of fundamental characteristics of COVID-19 and our inability to provide an appropriate response, the decisions to limit travel, close non-essential businesses and mandate mask-wearing were all appropriate.

The goal of these measures was to flatten the curve of COVID-19 spread as we understood that no reasonable measures that protect the freedoms we enjoy in this country would have eliminated the virus. We have been successful in flattening the curve and I believe reopening businesses, while continuing to mandate mask wearing in public, is sound public health guidance. I do not favor nationwide mandates given the heterogeneity across our country, with some rural geographic regions having much sparser populations compared with urban environments that are much denser. I believe we need targeted, common-sense mandates.

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

The critical differences between me and my opponent are my absolute focus on what is in the best interest of HCPSS students, families and educators - as opposed to politicians and developers - and my substantive experience in successfully leading large, complex organizations and budgets. My opponent’s primary experience is volunteering in classrooms. While this is admirable, I have volunteered and led PTA and classroom activities for years and know that this does not provide sufficient experience to lead a billion dollar school system and provide oversight of critical programs and staff. In addition, as a community member with zero political aspirations and not beholden to special interests, I will be laser focused on what is best for Howard County students, families and educators.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

The current board member in our district has failed the community and HCPSS in many ways. She has championed cuts to educators and special education, tore communities apart in a reckless redistricting plan that shuffled over 5,000 students to different schools while failing to meaningfully address overcrowding or equity, bullied a fellow Board member to tears during a public meeting, had two Open Meetings Act violations, and lectured and dismissed her constituents who were critical of her handling of HCPSS matters. I decided to run for BOE this year because Howard County District 4 voters deserve a representative who listens and cares about their concerns.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

The primary issues that define my campaign platform are accountability, transparency and budgetary responsibility. I believe taxpayers deserve to be kept informed regarding HCPSS issues, challenges and results and that our leaders need to be held accountable for their decisions. Board meetings that do not provide open and honest conversations about topics of critical interest to constituents do not serve Howard County, they serve the individuals in power. We must demand more of our leaders including accountability and transparency. Finally, the HCPSS is a school system that continues to increase class sizes (cut educators) year after year while adding administrative positions and increasing salaries for those highly-paid administrators. We need fiscally responsible decision making that aligns resources to HCPSS’ mission and ensures a balanced budget.

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

The accomplishments in my past that are most relevant to this job are establishment and leadership of growing, successful organizations with hundreds of staff. As an executive leader in a >$1B organization, I have significant experience in dealing with budgetary constraints and challenges, using data to make informed decisions aligned with organizational and strategic goals, and holding people accountable. I also have extensive experience building alliances across different organizations and bringing people together to collaboratively solve complex problems. I focus on identifying and solving complicated, and often complex, problems collegially and collaboratively while treating everyone with respect.

If you win this position, what accomplishment would make your term in office as a success?

The accomplishment that would make my term in office a success would be reversing the trend of declining performance of HCPSS students as well as the declining morale of HCPSS educators. I'd like to have measurable positive impact on the educational outcomes of all students in HCPSS.

Why should voters trust you?

Voters should trust me because I have no competing interests - such as a desire to further a career in politics - that would divert my attention from what is in the best interest of Howard County residents. I am a lifelong resident of Howard County, a graduate of HCPSS and the mother of two children currently in HCPSS schools. My sole motivation for running is to remove influence from politicians and developers on HCPSS decision-making and refocus our school system on providing an excellent education to all Howard County children.

What are your views on fiscal policy, government spending and the use of taxpayer dollars in the office you are seeking?

My views on fiscal policy and the handling of taxpayer dollars in HCPSS is that we must spend the money given to the school system by the County Council wisely.. We spend approximately $16,000 per student in HCPSS - this is one of the highest per student spending rates in the country - yet our performance continues to decline while other school systems that spend far less have been thriving (pre-COVID). We must be more responsible and wise with spending precious tax-payer dollars and work to increase the effectiveness of our investments.

Is there any reason you would not serve your full term of office, other than those of health or family?

There is no reason I would not serve my full term in office.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

The best advice ever shared with me was to handle yourself with your head and handle others with your heart. This has been invaluable advice over my career because I have found that not letting my emotions or opinions get in the way of how I engage with others is critical to building trust and giving everyone a voice. I have also learned that when dealing with others, it is important for them to know that their feelings and concerns are being listened to and taken into account in decision-making to the extent possible. It’s also important to explain why certain decisions are made and, again, to reflect input that was received and why decisions may have been counter to that input. It is unlikely that everyone will always agree with the decisions, but communicating clearly why they were made allows even those who disagree to understand that their input was considered.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I would like voters to know that I have run my campaign as a grassroots effort with no support or funding from political parties. In today’s ultra-partisan environment, given the significant concerns with politics at the national level, I think it is even more important to ensure our children do not become pawns in partisan politics. I am an unaffiliated voter with no allegiance to either major political party, and I am running solely to ensure Howard County children come first when we make decisions regarding HCPSS.