Maryland Young Republicans Chairman Brian Griffiths is calling on General Assembly leaders to hold hearings on discipline in Maryland’s Public Schools.
“Every day it seems like there is another gross overreaction by school administrators when it comes to school discipline,” Griffiths said. “Just in the past few months, we have seen six-year old students suspended for making a gun with their fingers at recess, a student suspended for the way he chewed his Pop Tart, a five-year old student interrogated without the consent of his parents until he urinated himself, and in the latest instance a student suspended from school merely for saying the word ‘gun.’ Where does this insanity end?
“We all understand that there is a need for suspensions and effective discipline in public schools and protecting students and staff members from harm, it seems like common sense in school discipline is nowhere as common as it needs to be. School administrators need to ensure that the discipline of students is comparable to the infraction, and to be able to determine what is and what is not a legitimate threat to or disruption of the educational environment.
“I would encourage the leadership of the General Assembly to convene hearings on school discipline to hear testimony from State State School Superintendent Dr. Lillian Lowery as well as the superintendents in the counties where these incidents have occurred, Dr. Kevin Maxwell of Anne Arundel County, Dr. Dallas Dance of Baltimore County, Dr. Jack Smith of Calvert County, and Dr. Joshua Starr of Montgomery County, on their school discipline policies, instructions given to school administrators on disciplinary measures, and what actions they are taking to ensure common sense is a part of the decision making process.
“We all agree that our schools should be a safe place to learn, however we must make positive strides to ensure that students are treated in a fair and just manner. I look forward to hearing what the Superintendents have to say on this matter.”
The Maryland Young Republicans held their 2013 Convention today at the Universities at Shady Grove in Rockville. The organization heard from a number of great speakers, including five gubernatorial candidates, a Comptroller candidate, two Congressional Candidates, a House of Delegates candidate and two candidates for Frederick Alderman.
Harford County Executive David Craig won the straw poll as the convention’s choice as the Republican Candidate for Governor in 2014 for the second year in a row. Craig finished with 43% of the vote. Charles Lollar finished second with 22%, followed by Frederick County Commissioner Blaine Young with 17%.
The Convention also elected its officers for the 2013-2015 term.
Brian Griffiths, 33, of Pasadena was unanimously re-elected as Chairman. Griffiths is a long-time Republican Party activist. He is also currently serving as Northeast Regional Vice-Chairman of the Young Republican National Federation, and is a candidate for National Chairman. Brian has worked as a strategist with a focus on strategic communications and message development on a number of campaigns at the municipal, county, and state levels. Brian has previously served as National Committeeman for the MDYRs, two terms as President of the Anne Arundel Young Republicans, and as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Maryland Teenage Republicans.
Brian is also a Contributing Editor and member of the Board of the influential blog Red Maryland, Maryland’s premier and most widely read blog of Conservative and Republican Politics. He is the Co-Host and Executive Producer of Red Maryland Radio on The Red Maryland Network.
Other Officers elected at the Convention include:
Join us this Saturday for the 2013 Maryland Young Republican Convention being held at the Universities at Shady Grove in Rockville!
Guest speakers for this year’s convention include Dan Bongino, Bill Campbell, David Craig, Charles Lolar, Meyer Marks, Brian Vaeth, Blaine Young and more. We will also be holding a straw poll for the Republican Nomination for Governor in 2014.
Visit http://mdyrs.org/mdyr-convention/ for more information and to register.
ANNAPOLIS- Maryland Young Republicans Chairman Brian Griffiths issued the followingstatement tonight about the end of the 2013 Maryland General Assembly Session.
“With the Maryland General Assembly having adjourned sine die at midnight I think we should all look up to heaven and Thank God they’re going home.”
“Never before has Maryland’s elected leaders done so much collective damage to the livelihood of our citizens. Every day Martin O’Malley and legislative leadership railroaded one reckless policy after another without a moment’s thought to think about the true impact of their policies on middle and working class Marylanders,
“During the last 90 days the General Assembly has time and time again gone after the interests and the will of the people of Maryland to implement a far left agenda that will continue to harm our state’s economy and provide diminishing job prospects for all Marylanders, particularly those young professionals who are looking for their first jobs. With the increase in the gas tax and the creation of the Rain Tax, consumers will be hit twice with higher taxes, first through direct taxation and then secondarily from businesses passing the rate hike onto their customers through higher prices. People are going to have less money to spend, and people are going to lose their jobs.
“Additionally, Maryland has taken a giant step backwards in the realm of public safety. Instead of enacting common-sense reforms to ensure to increase policing and keep criminals behind bars, Martin O’Malley led a charge to instead infringe upon the basic civil liberties of all Marylanders through far-reaching restrictions on the 2nd Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens. Through his actions, Martin O’Malley has made it harder for average Marylanders to defend themselves while also taking not affirmative steps to actually solve gun crime.
“The 2013 Maryland General Assembly Session proved one thing; Martin O’Malley and the Maryland Democratic Party do not have the best interests of average and middle-class Marylanders at heart. Our state deserves better than this.”
ANNAPOLIS- Maryland Young Republicans Chairman Brian Griffiths issued the following statement tonight about the historic filibuster in Washington:
“I am proud as an American to stand with Kentucky Senator Rand Paul today as he filibusters the nomination of John Brennan as CIA Director to protest the use of drones on American soil.
“Too often, Senators get to Washington and forget why it was that they were elected in the first place. Senators were elected to serve the protect and defend the Constitution, and to stand up for what’s right for the people of this nation and their home states. It is imperative that somebody stand up to take a stand against President Barack Obama and his refusal to rule on drone strikes to kill Americans on U.S. soil. It is unfortunate that it took a filibuster to draw attention to this important issue.
“The people of Kentucky and of the United States should be proud that Senator Paul has the courage of his convictions to stand up for civil liberties and the rights that we inherited from God that are enshrined in our Constitution. Sadly, Maryland’s Senators Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin long ago gave up pretending to fight our interests and to fight for civil liberties. I hope that they are watching the resolve of their colleague, and once again learn how to fight on behalf of Maryland and on behalf of America.
“Tonight, we all should Stand with Rand as he continues to fight for our civil liberties.”
ANNAPOLIS- Maryland Young Republicans Chairman Brian Griffiths issued the following statement today about Governor O’Malley’s historic gas tax proposal.
“Governor Martin O’Malley has once again gone out of his way to target middle and working class Marylanders with a historic and unnecessary tax hike that will put even more Marylanders out of work.
“While our neighbors in Virginia are lowering their statewide gas tax and institute a more regional approach for regional transportation funding, Martin O’Malley has decided to double-down and institute a near 50-percent hike on gas taxes aimed at hard-working Marylanders from rural and suburban Maryland in order to fund Mass Transit programs that benefit a small number of Maryland’s citizens. And all of this with no assurances that O’Malley will not raid the Transportation Trust Fund to balance the budget as he has done so many times before.
“O’Malley’s tax hike is aimed directly at middle and working class Marylanders who are forced to drive long-distances to their jobs thanks to the inability and unwillingness of O’Malley and legislative Democrats to come up with business-friendly proposals that stimulate job creation in Maryland.
“Sadly, Governor O’Malley’s proposal is just another in a long line of poor decisions that has driven jobs and young Marylanders to neighboring states, helping the Governor earn his poor marks on budgeting, taxation and leadership from a recent Washington Post poll.
“In 2014, Maryland must do better and the Maryland Young Republicans are ready to do what it takes to bring Maryland responsible leaders we can be proud of.”
ANNAPOLIS- Maryland Young Republicans Chairman Brian Griffiths issued the following statement today on Governor Martin O’Malley’s proposed gun control laws.
“Governor Martin O’Malley proved today beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is not committed to stopping gun violence in Maryland
“Instead of introducing supporting meaningful proposals that would actively reduce gun crime, O’Malley has decided to sign on to proposals that will have only one meaningful impact: to inhibit the ability of law-abiding Marylanders to purchase and possess firearms.
“Under Martin O’Malley’s plan, violent gun offenders will continue to get guns the way they always have. A violent offender is not going to decide not to carry a weapon with an illegal magazine just because there is a new law against it, nor will fingerprint requirements stop violent offenders from getting handguns. Any new law that Martin O’Malley proposes will not stop criminals from acting like criminals, however such laws will harm average Marylanders who wish to own firearms to defend themselves, their property, and their families.
If Martin O’Malley were truly serious about combating gun crime, he would:
“We encourage Martin O’Malley to be a leader and take positive steps to combat gun violence in the state of Maryland instead of political steps to play catchup with his Democratic Presidential Primary rivals.”
ANNAPOLIS- Maryland Young Republicans Chairman Brian Griffiths issued the following statement today on the opening of the 2013 Maryland General Assembly Session.
“The 433rd Session of the Maryland General Assembly opens today at noon, and our state is desperately in need of an improved business climate that will allow for increased opportunities for job creation.
“It is incumbent upon Governor Martin O’Malley and the leadership of the General Assembly to take prudent and effective measures in order to get Maryland’s economy moving again. For far too long, Maryland Democrats have relied on the largess of federal spending to keep our economy afloat. Because of the myth, perpetuated by Democratic leadership, that we live in a recession-proof economy, Martin O’Malley and his allies in the General Assembly have taken repeated steps to raise taxes, increase regulation, and bloat the bureaucratic process. Year after year, Maryland’s Democrats have made it harder and harder to run a successful business, making it more and more difficult to create an economy that will allow for robust job growth in the private sector.
During this General Assembly session we urge the Maryland General Assembly to:
“Martin O’Malley and the Maryland Democratic Party have been putting the needs of special interests ahead of the people’s interests. Governor O’Malley and the General Assembly must stop doing harm to Maryland’s Middle and Working Class families, and adopt policies that allow all Marylanders to prosper. It is time for Democrats to do what is in the best interest of the people instead of the best interest of their party.
“We as Young Republicans hope that Martin O’Malley can stop his Presidential campaign long enough to work towards a better job climate so that young Marylanders can coninute to work, live, and prosper in our state.”
Be sure to join your local Young Republican organization at some of the following Holiday Parties:
ANNAPOLIS- Maryland Young Republicans Chairman Brian Griffiths issued the following statement regarding former Republican candidate Rob Sobhani’s new television ad targeting young voters:
Rob Sobhani is running nothing more than a vanity campaign to satisfy his sizable ego that will provide no benefits to hardworking Marylanders. His inability to explain how his ideas will be implemented or funded proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Rob Sobhani is unfit to serve Maryland.
The Maryland Young Republicans are proud to stand by our nominee, Dan Bongino, himself a Young Republican, who understand what it means to be a hard working young professional here in our state.”
