The Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA) voted Wednesday to endorse three challengers over incumbents running for the school board in the May 14 primary election.
The teachers union is endorsing Rita Montoya in the at-large race, Natalie Zimmerman for the District 2 seat and Laura Stewart for the District 4 seat, according to an MCEA email announcement.
In making its endorsements, the union chose newcomers over three school board members who are running: school board Vice President Lynne Harris (At-large) and board members Rebecca Smondrowski (Dist. 2) and Shebra Evans (Dist. 4).
“These candidates have demonstrated a clear understanding of the challenges facing our educators, students, and communities,” MCEA President Jennifer Martin said. “We are confident that Zimmerman, Stewart, and Montoya will be strong advocates for public education and will fight tirelessly to ensure the success of every student in Montgomery County.”
Montoya has two children attending Montgomery County Public Schools and is the PTA president at North Chevy Chase Elementary School. She is a small business and nonprofit adviser, lawyer and former juvenile public defender with a “proven track record of advocating for the rights of young people,” the union said in its announcement.
Zimmerman is a second-grade teacher at Wheaton Woods Elementary School in Rockville and a union member. She “brings a wealth of classroom experience and a deep commitment to student success,” the announcement said.
Stewart is a member of the Maryland Education Coalition, serves as Free State PTA Vice President for Advocacy and is the former vice president of advocacy for the Montgomery County Council of Parent-Teacher Associations. She is a longtime education advocate in the district and parent of two MCPS graduates, according to the union.
The other candidates running this year are:
- At-large: Sharif Hidayat, Melissa Kim, Jonathan Long, Fitzgerald Mofor;
- District 2: Brenda Diaz, Ricky Mui, Aby Thioye; and
- District 4: Bethany Mandel
No ceasefire resolution vote
During Wednesday’s meeting, the union called off a vote on a proposed resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.
Before the Wednesday meeting, a group of Jewish MCPS teachers and staff – part of the Montgomery County Jewish Educators Alliance (MCJEA) – and the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Washington rallied outside of union headquarters urging members to oppose a proposed resolution calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.
In a statement released Sunday, the JCRC strongly opposed the resolution and urged the union to focus on “properly educating our children.”
“It is deeply alarming that MCEA is wasting its time and resources voting on a resolution that is biased against Israel, puts Jewish students and educators in Montgomery County at greater risk of antisemitic attacks, violates the standards of its own constitution, and will do absolutely nothing to advance the cause of peace abroad or support the academic success or safety of our children at home,” JCRC stated.
According to Rebecca Kotok, a school counselor at Falls Mead Elementary School in Rockville and MCEA member who attended the union meeting, union leaders explained that MCEA’s legal counsel advised the union to call off the vote.
Kotok told MoCo360 that she was “elated” to hear that the vote was called off.
“As a Jewish union member, I have to scratch my head and wonder why … they are not weighing in on other atrocities and other situations that are happening in our world,” Kotok said. “I have to wonder why when Israel is involved is the first time that this is being raised.”
MCEA president Jennifer Martin was not immediately available Wednesday to comment.
In an email exchange viewed by MoCo360, Martin wrote to Kotok that the union respects MCJEA’s position to oppose the resolution.
“This is a motion being presented by an individual MCEA building representative, as is their right. It is not being moved by the MCEA Board of Directors,” Martin wrote.
“As you suggest, MCEA members should let their building representatives know their views. We recognize the controversial nature of this proposed resolution, and our representative assembly will have the duty to conduct this new business in a way that reflects the will of the membership.”
Kotok said that she appreciated Martin respecting MCJEA’s position and was satisfied with her response.
Hisham Garti, director of community outreach for the Montgomery County Muslim Council, said before the union’s decision to call off the vote that the organization welcomes any group that calls for a ceasefire.
“Our view is that we strongly urge for an immediate and permanent ceasefire,” he said.