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Ryan Richard Miner
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Ryan Richard Miner was a candidate for an at-large seat on the Washington County Board of Education in Maryland. He advanced from a primary election on June 24, 2014, but was defeated in the general election on November 4, 2014.
Biography
Miner earned a B.A. in political science from Duquesne University in 2008. He has worked as a legislative aide in the United States Congress, political consultant and communications specialist for a software company. Miner currently works as the chief development officer for Cumberland Valley Heating and Air Conditioning.[1]
Elections
2014
The June 24, 2014, primary ballot included incumbents Jacqueline Fischer and Karen J. Harshman as well as challengers Mike Guessford, Henry House, Mindy Marsden, Ryan Richard Miner, Peter E. Perini Sr. and Stan Stouffer. All of the primary candidates except House and Marsden faced off in the general election on November 4, 2014.
Results
General
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan |  Mike Guessford |
19.6% | 17,242 | |
| Nonpartisan | Karen J. Harshman Incumbent |
18.2% | 15,995 | |
| Nonpartisan | Jacqueline Fischer Incumbent |
18.1% | 15,919 | |
| Nonpartisan | Peter E. Perini Sr. | 17.5% | 15,398 | |
| Nonpartisan | Stan Stouffer | 15.9% | 13,966 | |
| Nonpartisan | Ryan Richard Miner | 10.4% | 9,150 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-in votes | 0.3% | 268 | |
| Total Votes | 87,938 | |||
| Source: Maryland State Board of Elections, "Official 2014 Gubernatorial General Election results for Washington County," December 2, 2014 | ||||
Primary
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Mike Guessford |
16.7% | 6,296 | |
| Nonpartisan | Karen J. Harshman Incumbent |
15.5% | 5,840 | |
| Nonpartisan | Stan Stouffer |
13.8% | 5,208 | |
| Nonpartisan | Jacqueline Fischer Incumbent |
13.2% | 4,963 | |
| Nonpartisan | Ryan Richard Miner |
11.4% | 4,287 | |
| Nonpartisan | Peter E. Perini Sr. |
11.2% | 4,212 | |
| Nonpartisan | Mindy Marsden | 11.1% | 4,184 | |
| Nonpartisan | Henry House | 7% | 2,651 | |
| Total Votes | 37,641 | |||
| Source: Maryland State Board of Elections, "Official 2014 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for Washington County," July 16, 2014 | ||||
Funding
Miner reported $2,139.69 in contributions and $1,792.27 in expenditures to the Maryland State Board of Elections, leaving his campaign with $347.42 on hand as of June 4, 2014.[2]
Endorsements
Miner did not receive any official endorsements in this election.
Campaign themes
2014
Miner explained his themes for the 2014 campaign in an interview with The Herald-Media:
| “ | 1. In your opinion, what is the role of a school board member? The role of a school board member is to establish policy. A school board member advocates on behalf of all students and their schools and promotes a quality, world-class education system in our community. Board members work with our superintendent to develop a vision for the system and support decisions that conform to board policy. Board members review polices and manage complaints and never act autonomously without the authority of the entire board. 2. With the cost of brick-and-mortar schools so high, what should be done to accommodate student growth overall and in specific areas? As student growth expands, I will work handily with our local government to find the most equitable and fiscally responsible solutions. As our student population is increasing, I believe we need to work with school support staff and with our architect to examine all facilities, develop a 5-year plan of action, establish refresh cycles and evaluate the long-term fiscal need for new facilities. 3. What more should Washington County Public Schools do to prevent bullying, including cyberbullying? Our public school system must address school bullying head-on using a three-pronged parental, school and community approach. Our school system must be a safe and supportive environment for student achievement. Schools must set clear expectations for student behavior. When students engage in bullying, physical or cyber, a clear set of consequences must be followed with strict sanctions. Once we dissect the genesis of the bullying, we stop it, fix it and issue penalties. 4. What can the school system do to improve literacy among elementary school students? If we invest early in a child’s education, we build a strong foundation for their future. Early childhood literacy is an important, long-term economic investment. As a Hagerstown Rotarian, I am personally invested in advancing literacy through community-based organizations like Leadership Washington County, the United Way and Rotary. I would like every elementary school to create a “Reading Cafe” and enlist the services of community organizations to sustain a student’s progress via summer learning programs. 5. Do you have any concerns about the Common Core State Standards, now referred to as Maryland's College and Career-Ready Standards? Why or why not, and what could the local board do about any concerns that you might have? Common Core is an affront to local control over our education. Its statewide implementation has been an epic failure, negatively impacting our students, parents, administrators and teachers. I believe our board should work in conjunction with state lawmakers to delay Common Core’s implementation and create a series of training seminars for both parents and teachers to learn how it works and how to teach to the standards.[3] |
” |
| —The Herald-Media, (2014) | ||
What was at stake?
Issues in the election
2014
June 2 candidate forum
Every candidate except Mike Guessford participated in a candidate forum on June 2, 2014, at the district's Center for Educational Services. HMTV6 anchor Mark Keller directed questions about bullying, district communications and the layout of the school day to the candidates though the questions were not asked of all candidates. The following is a summary of candidate responses to Keller's questions:[5]
Bullying
Jacqueline Fischer, Karen J. Harshman and Stan Stouffer discussed the issue of bullying in district schools. Fischer advocated for a more open discussion among district residents as well as more flexibility under state law to suspend or expel repeat offenders. Harshman suggested teachers hold an important role in identifying students who are struggling and encouraging positive behaviors in the classroom. Stouffer stated that the district needs to educate parents about how to identify bullying behaviors and modify these behaviors at home.[[[5]
District communications
Henry House and Peter E. Perini Sr. offered proposals for improvements to the district's communications with parents and teachers. House argued that the district should add a liaison that encourages involvement by home-schooled students. Perini celebrated Superintendent Clayton Wilcox's regular listening sessions and proposed improved PTAs especially at the high school level.[5]
School day layout
Mindy Marsden and Ryan Richard Miner disagreed about potential reforms to the number of periods in each school day. The school board has discussed a six-period school day that would spread classes throughout the school year. Marsden supports using the six-period school day to break lessons into smaller sections especially for students with varying attention spans. Miner expressed misgivings with the six-period proposal because of concerns about the impacts on extracurricular activities and arts programs.[5]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Ryan + Miner + Washington + County + Public + Schools"
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Citizens for Ryan Miner, "Meet Ryan," accessed June 6, 2014
- ↑ Maryland Campaign Reporting Information System, "View Filed Reports," accessed June 3, 2014
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ The Herald-Media, "Washington County Board of Education candidate - Ryan Richard Miner," June 1, 2014
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 The Herald-Media, "School board candidates address bullying, communication," June 2, 2014
| 2014 Washington County Public Schools Elections | |
| Washington County, Maryland | |
| Election date: | November 4, 2014 |
| Candidates: | At-large: • Jacqueline Fischer • Mike Guessford • Karen J. Harshman • Henry House • Mindy Marsden • Ryan Richard Miner • Peter E. Perini Sr. • Stan Stouffer |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot |
