Local News Network Election Guide 2024

Christopher O. J. Alberts

Running for school board in Charles County District 3

How old will you be on Election Day (Nov. 3)?

Are you currently employed? If so, where, and what is your job title?

Yes, teacher at D.C. Public Schools

What is the highest level of education that you completed, and where did you get that degree?

I earned a Master of Arts in Teaching from Relay Graduate School of Education. I also hold a Bachelor of Music and Secondary Education from Howard University.

Why are you running for the school board?

I am running because decisions made by a school board are felt every day in classrooms, homes and communities. After more than two decades as a public school educator, and as a parent and Charles County resident, I want to bring a classroom informed, student centered perspective to those decisions. Strong schools require more than good intentions. They require high expectations, excellent educators, responsible stewardship, safe and supportive learning environments and meaningful partnerships with families. My career has shown me what can happen when students are given rigorous opportunities, trusted adults and programs that help them discover their strengths. I also believe educators, students and families should feel heard before decisions are made, not after. The board should set clear priorities, ask difficult questions, use data responsibly and remain focused on whether policies and budgets are improving outcomes for students. Charles County is growing and changing. I want to help ensure our school system grows with it by recruiting and retaining excellent staff, expanding college, career, arts and technical pathways, strengthening student supports and ensuring every student has access to an excellent public education, regardless of ZIP code or circumstance.

What makes you a good candidate for the board?

I would bring a combination of classroom experience, educational leadership, governance experience and a parent’s perspective. I have spent more than two decades working directly with students and families, and I was named the 2026 Washington, D.C. Teacher of the Year. That experience has given me a clear understanding of how policy decisions affect teaching, learning, staffing, school culture and student opportunity. I have also built and expanded programs, managed budgets and resources, developed partnerships, advocated for students and worked with educators, administrators, families, nonprofit organizations and community leaders. My service on the Charles County Public Library Board of Trustees has strengthened my understanding of public governance, fiscal responsibility, community engagement and the importance of accessible public institutions. Most importantly, I would bring the perspective of someone who still works in a school every day. I understand the difference between a policy that looks good on paper and one that works in practice. I would approach board service by listening carefully, asking questions, studying the evidence, respecting professional expertise and keeping students at the center of decisions. I am prepared to collaborate, disagree respectfully when necessary, and remain accountable to the entire Charles County community.

What is the most important issue facing your school board and what would you do about it if elected?

The most important issue is improving student achievement while creating the conditions that allow students and educators to succeed. Achievement is connected to staffing, attendance, school climate, mental health, rigorous instruction and whether students see meaningful pathways to their future. If elected, I would push for clear, publicly understandable measures of student progress and insist that resources be connected to demonstrated needs. I would prioritize recruiting and retaining strong teachers and support staff, because sustained improvement is difficult without experienced professionals in classrooms and schools. I would also support targeted academic interventions, high quality tutoring, strong literacy and mathematics instruction, expanded career and technical education, early college opportunities, arts education and other programs that keep students engaged. When data show that a particular group of students or school is falling behind, we should respond early rather than wait for problems to deepen. The board’s responsibility is not to micromanage classrooms, but it should establish clear goals, monitor progress, ask whether programs are producing results and ensure the superintendent has both the resources and accountability needed to meet those goals. My focus would be continuous improvement, identify what is working, expand it, address what is not and keep student outcomes at the center of the budget and policy process.

Please name a public leader you admire and explain why.

I admire John Lewis because he demonstrated that leadership can be courageous, principled, persistent and still rooted in respect for others. His life showed the importance of standing firmly for what you believe while remaining committed to democratic institutions and public service. What I find especially meaningful is his emphasis on action. He did not treat leadership as a title, he treated it as a responsibility to serve, organize, listen and sometimes take personal risks for the greater good. That is an important reminder for anyone seeking public office. I admire his ability to work with people across differences without abandoning his values. Public leadership requires both conviction and the willingness to build relationships. That combination of courage, service and respect is something I would strive to bring to the Board of Education.

The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, passed by the General Assembly in 2021, is a 10-year plan that includes increased funding to support early childhood education, higher teacher starting pay, college/career-readiness standards for high school graduates, and expanded services to multilingual and impoverished families, among other goals. Since the Blueprint's implementation, test scores have increased modestly in many parts of the state, but some school officials complain about the costs and administrative burdens placed on them by the Blueprint. Please tell us your views on the Blueprint and how it is affecting your school district.

I support the central goals of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future: stronger early childhood education, competitive educator compensation, college and career readiness and additional support for students who face greater barriers to success. Those are worthwhile investments if implementation remains focused on student outcomes. In Charles County, the Blueprint is already shaping budgets and programs. Charles County Public Schools has expanded early learning and college readiness opportunities, and Blueprint implementation is one of the mandatory cost areas in the school system’s fiscal year 2027 budget. At the same time, the board and county commissioners have had to examine the long term cost of implementation, which shows why sustainability matters. My concern is that compliance should never become the goal. The goal must be better teaching, stronger schools and improved student outcomes. I would want regular public reporting that shows not only how Blueprint dollars are being spent, but what results those investments are producing. I would also advocate at the state level when mandates create unnecessary administrative burdens or when funding does not adequately match required costs. Charles County should implement the law responsibly while protecting resources for classrooms. I support the Blueprint’s objectives, but I believe successful implementation requires transparency, local flexibility where permitted, careful financial planning and continuous evaluation of what is actually improving outcomes for students.

Chronic absenteeism has been a problem in many schools since the Covid-19 pandemic. How big of a problem is absenteeism in your school district, and what if anything can the Board of Education do about it?

Chronic absenteeism is a significant issue in Charles County, as it is across Maryland. Recent analyses show that the district’s post pandemic chronic absenteeism rate remains substantially above its pre pandemic level. Charles County Public Schools has already begun targeted work, including the Chronic Absenteeism Termination pilot program at Glymont Middle School. The board can help by treating absenteeism as a student success issue, not simply a discipline issue. I would support school level attendance data, early warning systems, family outreach, transportation and mental health supports and individualized interventions that identify why a student is missing school. We should also study programs that are producing measurable improvement and expand those that work. Attendance improves when students feel safe, connected, challenged and supported. The board should hold the system accountable for reducing chronic absenteeism while giving schools the tools to address the different reasons students disengage.

Are you satisfied with your school district's policy on AI use by students? If so, why? If not, what would you suggest to improve the AI policy?

I am encouraged that Charles County Public Schools has begun developing guidance and educating families and staff about artificial intelligence, but I do not think the work is finished. AI is changing too quickly for any district to treat its current approach as permanent. I would support a clear, regularly-updated framework that distinguishes appropriate assistance from academic dishonesty, gives teachers practical classroom guidance and training, protects student data and teaches students how to verify AI generated information and disclose when AI has been used. I would ensure that all stake holders understand how to appropriately use AI as a tool and not as a replacement for teaching and learning. Students will enter colleges and workplaces where these tools are common. Our responsibility is not simply to prohibit AI, but to teach ethical, thoughtful use while protecting fundamental skills such as writing, research, problem solving and original thinking. Staff also need ongoing professional development so expectations are consistent across schools and classrooms.

Youth mental health has been a growing concern for years now. Do you think your school district has the resources and personnel in place to deal with this issue adequately? If not, what would you suggest to improve the situation?

As both a teacher and a parent, I see how deeply mental health can affect a young person’s attendance, behavior, academic performance, relationships and ability to fully engage in school. I also understand how difficult it can be for families to recognize when a child needs help and to know where to turn. Charles County Public Schools deserves credit for expanding mental health supports and partnerships, but I do not believe this is an area where any school system can say the work is finished. If elected, I would want the board to look beyond how many services exist and ask whether students can actually access them when they need them. That means monitoring caseloads, wait times, referrals and access across schools. I would support strong school based mental health teams, partnerships with outside providers and greater emphasis on prevention and early intervention. Students should not have to reach a crisis before they receive support, and families should not have to navigate the system alone.

Do you think there are circumstances when books should be removed from school libraries? If so, what kind of books should be removed, and who should make those decisions?

Yes, but removal should be rare and based on established educational and collection standards, not political pressure or disagreement with an idea. Maryland law specifically bars removing school library materials because of partisan, ideological or religious disapproval and requires a uniform reconsideration process. If a book is challenged because it may not be age-appropriate or may not meet legitimate library selection criteria, the concern should receive a transparent professional review. Materials should be considered as a whole and in context, not based on isolated passages. Parents should absolutely be involved in their children’s reading and should have avenues to raise concerns. However, no individual should have unilateral authority to remove a book for every family. Decisions should follow law and policy and involve qualified librarians or media specialists, educators and administrators, using consistent standards that protect both parental engagement and students’ access to a broad range of appropriate materials.