Outgoing school board members Brooke Matthews (c-l) and Dr. Sal Raspa (IC-r) pose with their colleagues and Acting Superintendent Scott Smith (l)
Leonardtown, MD — A career in education in St. Mary’s County that started 53 years ago has come to an end (at least for now). Dr. Sal Raspa attended his last St. Mary’s County Board of Education meeting before retiring after 12 years on the board. “The time comes for everyone to move aside and enjoy the remaining years with family and friends,” Raspa said.
Raspa insisted that he and his wife Myra aren’t leaving the community in which he started as a math teacher at Great Mills High School, later becoming its principal and then an assistant superintendent before retiring and running for the school board. “I am not going away. I plan to continue to be involved in the community. It’s my time to write letters to the editor and set up Facebook accounts.”
Raspa’s final comments included a biting indictment of the community’s financial support for education. He said, despite what some have said, “Failure is not an option. The school system continues to be underfunded. The school system struggles to operate under a razor thin budget.” He added, “The per pupil expenditure must be changed.”
Raspa, the board’s chairman, decided not to run for re-election but the board vice-chairman Brooke Matthews did and was defeated in the November 4th election by Karin Bailey, who along with Rita Weaver, will sit on the new all-female board. Bailey and Weaver will be sworn-in on Monday, December 1st and attend their first meeting on December 10.
Raspa said of Matthews, “He continued to advocate for our children and adequate funding for the schools.” Matthews thanked Raspa and the school’s employees and at one point delivered flowers to Mrs. Raspa, who was sitting in the audience.
The two outgoing members received praise from their colleagues Mary Washington and Cathy Allen and Acting School Superintendent Scott Smith, who said he couldn’t wait to see what the outgoing members will be doing next.
Raspa and Matthews were also praised during the public comment section of the meeting by President of the Collective Education Association Faith Abernathy for their support of support personnel.
Board member Marilyn Crosby was not at the meeting. Raspa said she was sick. Both Raspa and Matthews recently voted to ask the state school board to oust Crosby for allegedly leaking personnel information to the press. It is not known if the newly constituted board will revisit the issue, since only one member of that board (Allen) voted with Raspa and Matthews.
