Carroll Values Education is pleased to announce a series of candidate receptions to be held around Carroll County in April. Candidates for Carroll County Board of Education have been invited to all three events. Candidates for Carroll County Board of Commissioners have been invited to the events in their respective districts.

“The last four years have been tough ones for our children in Carroll County Public Schools,” says Cindy Lord, co-founder of Carroll Values Education. “The curriculum has changed so much that my fifth-grader doesn’t always recognize the work my first-grader is doing.”

Concurrent with the curriculum overhaul, there have been budget issues for the school system.

“The budget situation is challenging, ” Lord continues, “State funding has been falling every year. Excluding pension costs passed back by the state a few years ago, every year county funding has been below what it was when our current commissioners took office. I think we should reduce costs wherever we can, but continuing to cut year after year is having an effect on the education our children receive.”

Carroll Values Education encourages everyone to learn about the issues and get to know the candidates. The candidates need to hear our concerns, our ideas and to understand and respect our desire for great schools.

The receptions will begin at 6:30pm. Dates are as follows:

Thurs. April 10, 2014 at the North Carroll Library, 2255 Hanover Pike, Greenmount, MD 21074.

Tuesday, April 22, 2014 at the Mt. Airy Town Hall, 110 South Main Street, Mount Airy, MD 21771

Monday, April 28, 2014 at the Finksburg Library, 2265 Old Westminster Pike, Finksburg, MD 21048