Dear Baltimore County Board of Education and Dr. Karen Salmon,

Just a little over a year ago, we submitted a petition with close to 900 signatures from community members and educators urging you to appoint Ms. Verletta White as Baltimore County’s permanent school superintendent (http://chng.it/FCyzxk5bPL). In the past two years educational professionals and citizens have been attending board meetings month after month in support of Ms. White.

Every educator who spoke at the initial feedback session over a year ago pleaded with the board to appoint Ms. White.  In every single public and private feedback forum held by Ray and Associates over the past few months, Ms. White’s name was brought forth for consideration as our permanent superintendent.  Social media has been flooded for over a year now with endorsements from teachers, administrators, and a variety of central office personnel.  The NAACP, CASE, AESA and other educational advocacy organizations have endorsed Ms. White. 

As educators, community members, parents, and students, we recognize that not everyone agrees with our point of view. That is not unusual given the magnitude of the decision.  However, a fair assessment of input regarding the matter confirms that the support for Superintendent White far outnumbers those in opposition.  Despite overwhelmingly positive support, a small faction of dissenters have attempted to systematically delegitimize Ms. White’s impressive history within BCPS in an attempt to influence the views of the public and of the state superintendent. This has serious implications for the future of our school system and endangers the entire search process. We implore you to recognize the voice of majority and not allow it to be systematically silenced. Our support of Ms. White is deeply rooted in the relationships she builds, the leadership she provides, and the vision she sets forth for the children of Baltimore County. 

Over the past two years, Ms. White has continued to demonstrate exceptional leadership while putting children first each and every day.  Ms. White is a parent and a life-long resident of Baltimore County. She has been a teacher, an administrator, an area superintendent, chief academic officer, and has been our interim superintendent for two years. In all of those years of service, her ethics and values have not been questioned. 

The recent audit confirms that Ms. White’s ethical behaviors are not in question.  It is time to move forward. Our students deserve it. We urge the Baltimore County School Board and the state superintendent Dr. Salmon to appoint Ms. White as our permanent superintendent.   We are confident that Ms. White is moving our district in the right direction.  We supported her leadership at this time last year, and one year later we still stand with her. We respectfully request that the full board and Dr. Salmon stand with her as well.  We ask the board to put our students and our employees first. Please vote for Ms. Verletta White to be our permanent superintendent.  Thank You.