February 14th, 2019 by WCBC Radio
The Maryland Senate voted this week to enable local school boards to decide whether school begins before or after Labor Day. The 31-13 vote was along party lines in the Democrat-controlled Senate. The measure now goes to the House, where Democrats hold a supermajority. The issue has prompted a battle with Republican Governor Larry Hogan, who signed an executive order in 2016 requiring schools to start after Labor Day. Supporters of the governor, including Comptroller Peter Franchot, say the longer summer breaks give families more time together and help tourism, but critics say it shortchanges education. Hogan, who says his executive order has been among the most popular actions he's taken as governor, has proposed compromise legislation to require voters to decide the issue in jurisdictions where there's a push to move the school start to before Labor Day. Franchot agrees, saying a referendum vote would show exactly how popular the post Labor Day mandate has been…
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