Hairston's 'Hitler' Comment Spurs Demand for Apology

The county schools superintendent issues a statement saying his comments were 'not intended to offend.'

Two state legislators are calling on Baltimore County Schools Superintendent Joseph A. Hairston to apologize for or explain a comment he made that equated anger toward his AIM grading software to rage harbored for "Hitler."   State Sens. Jim Brochin and Bobby Zirkin said Hairston should explain and apologize for inappropriately comparing criticism of a software program to hatred toward the man responsible for the deaths of 6 million Jews during World War II. "To invoke Hitler, it's so ridiculous," Zirkin said. "It's almost like you don't know what to say because its so ridiculous and so offensive." Brochin called Hairston's comments "bizarre." Hairston, in a brief statement issued today, said his comments were not intended to offend. A …

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Hairston: Education, Not AIM, Should Be Focus

Superintendent says he and legislators define accountability differently.

Joe Hairston wants to change the subject. The county schools superintendent thumbs through a copy of the most recent edition of his ever-present "Blueprint for Progress" and notes that the system's comprehensive plan has been his top priority throughout his 11-year tenure. But these days the issue at the forefront for county schools is the continuing criticism over the Articulated Instruction Module, the system's grading and curriculum software more commonly known as AIM. And Hairston sees the controversy as an unwanted distraction that has been eliciting strong feelings that he equated to people's hatred to "Hitler." "It's been 11 years and 11 years of one thing only and that's focusing on our children," Hairston says in an interview with…

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Parents, Lawmakers Demand Answers from Hairston

Opponents of proposed controversial grading system call for Baltimore Co. schools superintendent to cooperate or resign

Some Baltimore County parents have the same questions that state legislators and the Attorney General have about the school system's controversial grading program Articulated Instruction Module. One parent even asked for Baltimore County Schools Superintendent Joe. A. Hairston to answer the questions about the program or resign at Tuesday night's board meeting. Dave Greene, a parent who is head of the 2,000-member Facebook group End AIM Now!, criticized Hairston over his remarks during a recent WJZ television interview that said this was a racial issue. During the public comment session, where speakers are given three minutes to talk, Greene asked the school board president to respond if he felt there was any merit to the accusations that …