Schools

Meet the Candidate: Patricia Gordon

Patricia Gordon is a life-long educator and former board member who hopes to bring calm to a Board of Education that has sparred recently.

If things at the Howard County Board of Education were running more smoothly, Patricia Gordon would not be running for her third term as a board member.

“I would have been only too happy to leave it in the hands of people who are working for the children,” she said in an interview with Patch. But lately,  for the tone of of its debate. Parent and teacher groups have said the rancor has gotten in the way of effectively overseeing the school system.  

Meanwhile, Gordon said people have told her she has a calming effect. “I really hope that I would be able to deflect some of the snarking and have everybody refocus on what’s best for the children.”

Find out what's happening in Ellicott Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

A native of New York City, Gordon moved to Ellicott City 18 years ago to be closer to her son and grandchildren. A life-long educator, she has a lengthy resume.

'Outstanding Moments'

Find out what's happening in Ellicott Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Before coming to Howard County, Gordon earned a bachelor’s degree from Hunter College, a master’s degree in secondary education from Queens College and a professional certificate from Fordham University. A teacher, guidance counselor and principal, Gordon has also served as president of the Maryland Association of Boards of Education and served on state commissions for pre-kindergarten and English language learners.

She served two terms as a member of the Westbury, NY Board of Education and has served two terms–one six-year and one four-year–on the Howard County board of Education, beginning in 2000. She is attempting to return to the board after a brief interruption and will face a dozen candidates in April's primary. There are three seats available seats.

Gordon has worked with several of the current members of the board. She cited Ellen Flynn Giles, Janet Siddiqui and Frank Aquino as members who she respects “because we worked together. None of us were interested in what we were going to get out of it personally.” 

Before convening for a meeting one evening, then-Deputy Chief of Staff Mamie Perkins came into the planning room and told the board members that they were not allowed to go into the board room just then. When they were allowed to enter, staff had gathered and gave them a standing ovation, and plaques.

“They said we were the greatest board to work with," Gordon said. "That’s one of the outstanding moments in my life. I still have my plaque.”

'This is a Reality'

Gordon, 88, was born, raised, educated and spent her professional career in New York City and the surrounding metropolitan area. When she moved to Howard County, she said she was hesitant. She had lived worked and socialized mostly with other black people. Would she be accepted in this place that she knew next-to-nothing about?

“I was surprised not only the diversity, but the fact that white, black, no matter what, I was just part of a group accepted by everybody.”

Last year, Gordon re-entered the spotlight when she spoke in opposition to that would change the way board members were elected in order to ensure more diversity among its members.

Though she was not in favor of having appointed board members, Gordon said she does believe that the issue of diversity on the board is important.

Board members who are not a member of a racial or ethnic minority can be sensitive to the issues of all students, she said, “but having somebody on the board who has really had the experiences I’ve had can make them aware that this is a reality, not simply a thought that some people have."

“I do still feel that there is an element of prejudice,” she said. “An element.”

'Words Represent Ideas' 

During her previous tenure on the board, Gordon said one of her proudest accomplishments was seeing through the implementation of full-day kindergarten, something that the former superintendent did not think was feasible. 

As an elementary school teacher and a guidance counselor, Gordon concluded that students who were doing poorly later in life did so because they were not getting the help they needed at the very beginning. “It’s necessary that we start as soon as possible.”

To continue toward that goal, Gordon said she is particularly interested in working with children who don’t have as rich an experience at home as others, and with students for whom English is not their first language.

“The vocabulary of those young children is as much as a quarter, and probably less, than that of children from more privileged homes,” she said. “They don’t understand the most basic words. And words represent ideas.”

Instead of trying to help children catch up at the end of their schooling career, Gordon wants to work harder to level the playing field from the beginning.

'They Would Like Chaos' 

Gordon admires the dedication that she said some of her coworkers have to their jobs. “All of them give time freely,” she said of Aquino, Giles and Siddiqui. “Not one of them is going to run for higher office. None of them are in it for the money.”

Despite criticisms that Superintendent Sydney Cousin was “rubber stamped” by the school board, Gordon said the board considered all of the information they had, discussed Cousin’s appointment in public and were able to come to an agreement. “It was the perfect board to work with.” 

Critics of the board, she said, do not appreciate how it worked. “They would like chaos, no progress and a board that is fighting,” she said.

“In so many instances, the board of education is being used as a stepping-stone to whatever personal goals a member has … what impression are we giving the children? 

“As a member of the board, we are just one of seven," Gordon said.  

"If we want to do something good, we’re going to have to do it together.”


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here