Maryland Lawmakers Override Veto; Baltimore Schools Stay in Local Control

The Maryland Senate on April 10 joined the House in voting to keep 11 Baltimore schools under local control, upsetting the first-ever attempt by a state to take over failing schools under the federal No Child Left Behind law.

Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., a Republican, vetoed a bill on April 7 that sought a one-year moratorium to prevent the state board of education and state schools Superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick from restructuring those schools or removing any others from the direct control of the Baltimore school board.

But only three days later, 30 of the Senate’s 47 members overrode that veto. The House voted April 8 to override the veto on a 97-42 vote. Both votes in the Democratic-controlled legislature were...