The Board of Directors of the Washington County Teachers Association has launched a campaign in support of Safe and Orderly Schools for Every Student. The campaign began during the Back to School week, August 18, with WCTA meetings with members at schools to share new contract language for Article 8: Student Discipline that has been negotiated over the last two years. During the meetings, WCTA leaders also shared information about Maryland’s new Davis Martinez Public Employee Safety and Health Act that goes into effect October 1.
As part of the SOS campaign, WCTA President Carol Mowen submitted an Op-Ed to the Herald Mail newspaper: OpEd from WCTA – August 2025 (See full text below.) WCTA is also pulling together an organizing committee to continue efforts to ensure that the contract and law related to public employee safety and health are upheld throughout WCPS.
In addition, the following materials have been provided to WCTA members to provide a review of Article 8.1 (Student Behavior) and Article 8.2 (Serious Incidents) and reporting forms for contract violations related to Article 8 or the Davis Martinez Public Employee Safety and Health Act.
- Articles 8 – Student Discipline (Infographic)
- Revised Discipline Matrix August 2025
- WCTA Reporting Form for Article 8 Violations
- MSEA Info: Davis Martinez Act & ESP Bill of Rights
- Safety and Health Act Contract Enforcement Card
Safe and Orderly Schools for Every Student and Every Staff Member: What will it take?
August 26, 2025
As students return to school, the work of educators continues – doing more with less to provide educational environments that effectively educate Washington county’s students. At its September 2 work session, the Washington County Board of Education (WCBOE) will begin discussing the FY 2027 General Fund Budget. As that process unfolds, I urge board members to listen to educators and prioritize the resources we know are needed to support each student’s instructional learning goals and safe, healthy environments for both students and staff.
One of the most pressing concerns is student discipline. This is not unique to Washington County—across Maryland and nationwide, educators are raising alarms. A recent National Education Association survey found that four out of five educators view student behavior as a serious problem, with 81 percent reporting that students are acting out at increasing rates.
Locally, the Washington County Teachers Association (WCTA) has bargained for stronger contract protections under Article 8: Student Discipline. But contract language cannot guarantee the safe and orderly schools our students and staff deserve. That is why WCTA has launched an “SOS Campaign” to highlight what is truly needed: more staffing, more resources, consistent enforcement of clear expectations, and developmentally and age appropriate disciplinary consequences.
No one should face repeated threats, injuries, or unsafe conditions at work. This year, new statewide protections go into effect under the Davis Martinez Public Employee Safety and Health Act. The law, passed after the tragic death of a Maryland probation officer, requires public employers—including schools—to address unsafe working conditions, workplace violence, building security, air quality, and access to proper equipment. But laws and contracts cannot solve issues without adequate funding. Our schools need more administrators to manage discipline, more paraprofessionals and behavior specialists to support teachers, smaller class sizes, more custodians and maintenance staff, and accelerated plans to fix (and replace) aging infrastructure. All of this connects directly to budget decisions—both the General Fund and the Capital Improvement Plan.
As the FY 2027 budget process begins, I urge Superintendent David Sovine and the WCBOE to fully fund the staffing and safety resources educators know are essential. I also call on Washington County citizens to make their voices heard—contact both the school board and the county commissioners and demand the resources our students and educators deserve. Fiscal responsibility is important, but safe schools and effective learning environments must come first.