Theodore R. McKeldin, Governor                   1677

House Bill No. 450—School Board in Talbot County

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 6 (a) of
Article 77 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1956 Supplement),
title "Public Education", sub-title "Chapter 2. Formation of
Boards", and to add a new section to said Article and sub-title, said
new section to be known as Section 12F, and to follow immediately
after Section 12E thereof, providing for the nomination and elec-
tion of the County Board of Education in Talbot County, changing
the number of members thereof, relating generally to the tenure
and conduct of the members of the Board of Education and making
this Act subject to a referendum.

April 15, 1957.

Hon. John C. Luber

Speaker of the House of Delegates

State House

Annapolis, Maryland

Dear Mr. Speaker:

I have today vetoed House Bill 450, which would supplant the exist-
ing provision for a three-man school board in Talbot County, ap-
pointed by the Governor. Subject to referendum in 1958, House Bill
450 would provide for the election of a seven-man school board, com-
mencing in November, 1960, with one to be elected from each of the
five election districts, and two to be elected from the County at large.

A companion measure, House Bill 451, provides for appointment
of school board members in Talbot County on exactly the same basis
unless and until the election procedures become effective.

The election of school boards tends to involve them more closely
in partisan politics, which is distinctly opposed to all sound thinking
in the field. There has been continuing unanimous bi-partisan ap-
proval of keeping Maryland schools out of politics. The single ex-
periment with elected school boards, which I reluctantly sanctioned
in Montgomery County because of strenuous home rule protesta-
tions, has, in the opinion of qualified observers, not be satisfactory.
The great majority of affiliated school organizations in Talbot County
have expressed to me their opposition to the elective school board
idea. Furthermore, the objection to confining appointments to elec-
tion districts, which I have noted in my veto of House Bill 451, should
apply with equal force to their election on such a basis.

I am, therefore, returning House Bill 450 without my signature.

Respectfully,

(s) Theodore R. McKeldin,

Governor.
TRMcK/tk

House Bill No. 451—School Board in Talbot County

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Section 6 (a) of
Article 77 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1956 Supplement),