At the June 17, 2025 Somerset County Board of Education meeting, the true heart and motive of the Somerset Education Association (teachers’ union) was revealed, having absolutely nothing to do with education. Randi Merritt who currently stands as President of the SEA, announced her retirement as she disrespectfully addressed the Board right after they just approved a budget that provides an allocation for teacher raises, including bus drivers and custodians. Setting an unprecedented district-wide raise allocation in the history of Somerset County Public Schools, this Board has been able to responsibly balance the budget within their means of standard funding. But it’s not about the dollar amount in the pocket of those on the frontline who make education even possible. It’s about control, and the SEA has lost it.
As of January 2025, two Board seats were won in a landslide election. In respect of the democratic process, Matthew Lankford and Mary Beth Bozman were elected by the citizens of Somerset County to serve a term of 4 years. Joining Andrew Gleason who currently serves on the Board, they were all very transparent during the election. What you see today is exactly what the people voted for. Since their commission, the Somerset County Board of Education has accomplished more in 5 months than the last 12 years.
The tide is shifting from low to high in Somerset County.
In just 5 months, the Board has hired new legal representation, created/revised eight (8) Board policies, became the first Maryland district to sign the Title VI certification to end discrimination, created a “Next Step” Board tracking tool to put words into action with a timeline, thoroughly examined and passed a balanced budget, approved a capital improvement plan for Crisfield High School, evaluated organizational structure, evaluating school safety, and voted for a financial performance audit, which will soon take place. That’s just to name a few, as they have been working in many more areas. On each public meeting agenda, you will see a list of goals and the progress being made.
The Maryland State Education Association (MSEA) is the arm of the national unions at the state level. It then goes down to the local union in each county under the controlled umbrella of the MSEA.
GOD Bless the students and families of Somerset County. The teachers’ unions are the apex predators of “bullying” so it’s no wonder they have much experience to promote a month full of their propaganda to deflect from the FACT that teachers are bullied by their unions to fail to actually educate the students.
Somerset County is the bottom of the barrel when it comes to education and administrators and the board.