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Columbia University Partnering With College Park on Lakeland Reparations Proposal

The College Park City Council a nearly $150,000 contract with Columbia University to research and develop a plan over the next six months to redress grievances against the historic community, a majority-Black community neighboring College Park. 

Urban renewal projects in the 1970s and 1980s destroyed numerous family homes, displacing the majority of households in the area with few able to return.

“I think it’s a really great start,” said Lakeland Community Heritage Project founding chair Maxine Gross. “They’ll look into filling historical holes that they find, questions that the materials don’t answer and really look in some of those nooks and crannies for documentation that we just didn’t have access to.”

College Park Councimember Susan Whitney (District 2) said she looks forward to the report in June, and Councilmember Llatetra Brown Esters (District 2) acknowledged it would be difficult to redress the community following past grievances. Estes said she looks forward to what the report will show.

“It is important that all people who live within this community feel like they matter and that they’re important,” said Esters. “It’s not enough to give things lip service. You have to follow it with action.”

Moore Nominates Harry Coker Jr. as Commerce Secretary

Gov. Wes Moore (D) announced that he is nominating Harry Coker Jr. to serve as Commerce secretary. 

Having previously served as a lead cybersecurity adviser to President Joe Biden, Coker will be replacing Kevin Anderson, who will now serve as an adviser to Moore. 

Coker, who also served as the executive director of the National Security Agency from 2017 to 2019, will serve on an interim basis until his Senate confirmation hearing.

“At the heart of our economic growth agenda is a commitment to investing in industries of the future — from cyber to quantum,” Moore said in a statement. “Harry Coker understands that mission and brings a wealth of experience working on the leading edge of the very sectors Maryland stands to win.”

Moore has highlighted data centers and state investment into technology as staples of his administration. 

Ahead of his work with the governor, Anderson sent an outgoing memo.

“I am so very grateful for the tremendous opportunity to serve as Maryland’s Commerce Secretary for the past two years,” said Anderson. “I have been endlessly impressed with the work our agency does for the state and its economy.”

Delegate Introduces Legislation to Ban Cellphones from Classrooms

Delegate Adrian Boafo (D-District 23) has introduced a that would require school systems across the state to develop cellphone policies by next school year. 

“We’re letting all 24 jurisdictions figure out what works best for them in consultation with educators,” Boafo . “We’ve also included provisions for emergency and educational use.”

The legislation has bipartisan support, with both Health and Government Operations Chair Del. Joseline Peña-Melnyk (D-District 21) and Baltimore County Delegate Nino Mangione (R-District 42) serving as co-sponsors.

Numerous educators support the bill as a way to reduce classroom distractions, while parents have raised the concern of emergency contact to their children. 

Montgomery County has already a cellphone ban during the school day, and Virginia recently implemented .

“The rise of cellphone use has negatively impacted the classroom environment.  As a teacher, I have witnessed how cellphones have become a distraction to learning. Cellphone chatter often spills over from social media leading to fights and disruptions in the schools,” Prince George’s County Public Schools teacher Monica Roebuck told The Informer.

“The school system provides technology to students by way of laptops and devices to complete projects and assignments,” Roebuck continued,  “therefore cellphones are really not necessary in the learning environment and have become a distraction.”