Active shooter drills in Maryland schools will be different next school year under a new set of state guidelines meant to limit the impact those drills have on the mental health of students.

The new guidelines prohibit trauma-inducing elements like imitation of gunfire or explosions. They also require school systems to notify parents in advance when students will be practicing what to do in the event of an active shooter in their buildings.

The new guidelines were released by the Maryland Center for School Safety this fall, ordered by a new state law requiring them to draft new parameters and create a new process for collecting and analyzing data on their effectiveness. The center will also look into the psychological impact the shooter drills have on staff, parents and students.

“The mental health crisis that we see in our young people is undeniable,” said Del. Jared Solomon, who sponsored the measure in the Maryland House of Delegates earlier this year. “As we normalize having to deal with school shootings, we are creating more anxiety and more issues among young people.”

The guidelines emphasize that active shooter drills are not a one-size-fits-all matter, and should be adjusted to fit the age group.

Read the full story by Marissa Yelenik here and visit cnsmaryland.org for more Maryland news.

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Despite remaining firmly blue, Maryland saw a shift from 2020 toward Donald Trump in this election, with all but one county swinging in the direction of the president-elect. 

The red-shifting counties saw more Trump voters by degrees ranging from fractions of a percentage point to more than four points, according to a Capital News Service analysis of unofficial election results published on Nov. 13 by the Maryland State Board of Elections.

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The counties that shifted the most toward Trump were Cecil (4.1 points up for Trump) and Somerset (4 points up). The county that moved away from Trump was heavily Republican Garrett (just over one point down). 

The county-level results added up to a noteworthy statewide swing. According to the board, President Joe Biden won the state by more than 33 points in 2020; with 94% of the vote counted, Kamala Harris led Trump by just 26 points.

In other words, Maryland – though it voted solidly for Harris – was still a part of the national red wave Democratic leaders are now grappling with. 

“I know this isn’t a result that a majority of Marylanders hoped for,” Democratic Gov. Wes Moore told his cabinet after the outcome was clear, according to remarks released by his office. “But this is a result we have prepared for.”

Read the full story here and visit cnsmaryland.org for more election coverage.

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If you’d like to stay in the loop with our coverage, you can see our content at https://cnsmaryland.org/. We are a student-powered news organization at the University of Maryland, Philip Merrill College of Journalism. 

Governor Wes Moore declared the rise of invasive fish species an ongoing disaster in Maryland and said it was critical for the federal government to act.

Which types of fish are considered invasive in the Chesapeake Bay?

Blue catfish, flathead catfish, and snakehead are considered dangerous, according to Moore.

Why are these fish invasive?

“They are voracious eaters,” Moore wrote. “They consume other fish, crustaceans, and even other catfish. They out-compete the native species for both habitats and food and threaten key commercial fisheries including blue crab, striped bass, white perch, yellow perch, and American eel.”

How will this affect Maryland?

The increase of invasive species has led to the decline of native fish species, which has had negative effects on Maryland’s commercial fisheries, ultimately impacting the economy.

Commercial fisheries have brought in an average of $64 million yearly in dockside value since 2012. Declines in native fish species would be a significant loss for Maryland, according to state data.

What do you think about Moore seeking disaster relief from the federal government? Let us know in the comments!

If you’d like to stay in the loop with our coverage, you can see our content on https://cnsmaryland.org/. We are a student-run news organization at the University of Maryland, Philip Merrill College of Journalism.

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An unverified database released in September 2021 shows that at least 470 people in Maryland have signed up for membership with a far-right paramilitary group called the Oath Keepers between the years 2009 and 2016. At least 20 of those members were confirmed by the Anti-Defamation League to be law enforcement and military officers and first responders.

The whistleblower site Distributed Denial of Secrets last year obtained and released the database of emails and a membership list of the Oath Keepers, which recently rose to prominence for its participation in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.

Continue reading: https://cnsmaryland.org/2022/11/17/oath-keepers-data-leak-an-investigation-of-a-far-right-militia/

The University of Maryland's Center for Social Value Creation is promoting our 2nd Annual ESG Conference on Friday, December 9th.

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If you are a passionate working professional or student interested in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives, this is the event for you!

Registration is NOW OPEN for the Center for Social Value Creation’s second annual ESG Conference! The conference will take place on Friday, December 9th from 1pm to 6pm EST at the Robert H. Smith School of Business. This year’s ESG Conference is themed around UMD’s first-ever State of Impact Reports which highlight best practices and lessons learned in ESG across nine industries. The reports will be released at the Conference and embedded into the theme and discussions of the day.

Register at go.umd.edu/ESGConf22