Maryland State Board of Education Reverses Baltimore County Board of Education's Censure Decision as an "Egregious Abuse of Discretion."

By: Maggie Litz Domanowski

(Opinions are of Maggie Litz Domanowski and do not reflect the opinions of the Board of Education of Baltimore County.)

On August 27, 2025, I received an email I had been waiting for since the beginning of April. A decision from the state board of education on the appeal I filed to rescind Resolution 2025-02 Censure. It was worth the wait.

"We have viewed the recording of Appellant’s questioning of the Superintendent regarding specific items of the FY 2026 Operating Budget during the local board meeting, and we do not observe any behavior that was rude and disrespectful conduct toward the Superintendent which “exhibited a lack of courtesy and decorum” or “actions using a tone and manner that was perceived as uncivil and aggressive” towards the Superintendent. The video captures Appellant asking legitimate questions about the budget in a calm and professional manner during her limited and allotted time. We find that the censure based upon the tone and manner in how the Appellant asked her questions defies reason and, if upheld, would only impede open and relevant discussion and sidetrack local boards from governing on important educational matters, particularly on matters where there may be a difference of opinion."

If you're lost, we can start at the beginning.

On March 11, 2025, the Baltimore County Board of Education voted 7-4 (with board member Julie Henn absent) to censure Maggie Litz Domanowski for "a lack of courtesy and decorum," and for "engaging in rude and disrespectful conduct toward the Superintendent regarding the proposed FY2026 budget," during the board meeting on January 28, 2025. Cue the tape:

Baltimore County Board of Education member, Maggie Litz Domanowski, line of questioning during an open meeting on FY2026 proposed budget held on January 28, 2025.

This is a clip I created for the appeal process, but you can watch the full January 28, 2025 meeting on the BCPS TV YouTube Channel.

On February 11, I received a certified letter signed by the Chair, Jane Lichter, and Vice Chair, Robin Harvey. This letter aimed to "formally address the lack of courtesy and decorum" exhibited at the January 28, 2025 meeting of the Baltimore County Board of Education. Within this letter, two emails sent to specific board members were cited to support their view of my conduct. The first email, sent by 'Ms. White,' stated:

"Board Member Maggie Domanowski's conduct during the deliberations on the Operating Budget was notably troubling. Witnesses, including myself, observed a clear lack of professionalism in her tone and demeanor while questioning Superintendent Dr. Rogers and [her] staff."

The second email was addressed to the student board member by another student who preferred to stay anonymous. In this email, the anonymous student expresses the following:

"Maggie Domanowski 's behavior toward Dr. Rogers wasn't just rude; it was disrespectful, calculated, and honestly, borderline racist."

Following this letter, I issued both a private and public apology to the superintendent for the impact my questions had on her feelings. Nonetheless, this was insufficient for some, and a more robust statement was necessary to address my truly unacceptable behavior during that meeting. On March 11, at another open board meeting, Vice Chair Robin Harvey read aloud, and the board voted 7-4, on Resolution 2025-02 Censure.

When the public became aware of my unusual behavior on January 28, the reaction to the public censure far surpassed the actual or perceived issue. Both the board and I received nearly 1,000 emails supporting the reversal of the harsh censure decision. This significant support is largely due to the genuine efforts of Mary Taylor and Amy Adams from the Baltimore County County Parent and Student Coalition. Mary, Amy, and the coalition have been steadfast advocates for prioritizing students in public education. In fact, it was their advocacy that gave me the courage to run for the Baltimore County Board of Education in 2022. Thank you!

Needless to say, another round of thanks is extended to the courageous, sincere, and articulate speaker, Dr. Barbara Dezmon from the League of Women Voters.

Dr. Barbara Dezmon, of the League of Women Voters, public comment during March 25, 2025 meeting of the Board of Education of Baltimore County.

Although I have never spoken to Dr. Dezmon directly, she articulated what many have been pondering all along, "was it worth it?" Thank you!

Between the resolution of my censure and the date I filed my appeal to the state, my local board had two opportunities to rescind their decision on their own. On both occasions, they opted not to, with a 7-5 vote. I am grateful to all board members who set aside personal feelings and politics. Thank you for doing what you believed was right.

With the Maryland State Board of Education's final decision in the case of Maggie Litz Domanowski v. Baltimore County Board of Education, I believe a wrong has been corrected, allowing us to move forward. If the local board wishes, they have the option to file an appeal by submitting a "Petition for Judicial Review" to the circuit court within the next 30 days. I sincerely hope this does not occur so we can focus on the real work and core issues in Baltimore County public education: our STUDENTS.

("Wake up Maggie, I think I have something to say to you," I love you Dad!)