Andre Hornsby returns: Local politicians comment

(Posted 22 Mar 2006)

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• Prince George’s officials decry Hornsby’s return.
• Examiner, 21 Mar 2006 (Jonathan Marino, The Examiner).

. . . “Sometimes I have to wonder if the state comprehends the results of its actions,” said County Council President Thomas Dernoga [Council.Dernoga], D-District 1, a longtime Hornsby foe.
[. . .]
State lawmakers representing Prince George’s County were not immediately available for comment..

• Hornsby gets approval to offer tutoring services; FBI probe has no impact on state decision .
• Sun, 21 Mar 2006 (By Liz Bowie, Sun Reporter).

. . . "Dr. Hornsby has resigned from the PG County schools, and I am not going to second-guess the State Department of Education," said Beatrice Tignor [Beatrice.Tignor], the school board chairwoman. She said she is sure that the state made a decision based on the application..

• Hornsby Approved For Md. Tutoring; Timing and 'Moxie' Irk School Officials.
• Post, 20 Mar 2006 (by Nick Anderson, Washington Post Staff Writer).

. . . "The timing is wrong," said board member Judy Mickens-Murray [Judy.Mickens-Murray] (Upper Marlboro). "I'm just disappointed that this will become yet another distraction. It continues to take us back to the past."
[. . .]
"It takes a lot of moxie to do it here, but that's Andre," said board Vice Chairman Howard W. Stone Jr. [Howard.Stone] (Mitchellville).
[. . .]
In Prince George's, state data show that 5,975 students are eligible for tutoring but only 1,095 receive it. Interim schools chief Howard A. Burnett [Howard.Burnett] said that he wanted to expand the tutoring in any way possible and that Hornsby was welcome to contribute.

"I'm supportive of any state-approved program," Burnett said.

Officials said the Prince George's system does not have a choice in the matter. Local school systems, they said, are not allowed to bar a tutoring business from operating in a city or county once state approval has been given. So Hornsby's company could start offering services by summer.

"The real test is how many parents allow their children to be tutored by his program," said Prince George's school board President Beatrice P. Tignor [Beatrice.Tignor] (Upper Marlboro).