MARYLAND (WBFF) — The Maryland State Senate has approved Governor Wes Moore’s choice to be the next State Inspector General for Education. The vote was 36 to 9 to approve Natalia Medina Ahn.
According to her LinkedIn profile, Ahn has been working as Deputy Legal Counsel for Governor Wes Moore. Prior to that, from 2017 to 2020, she worked as Legal Counsel of Montgomery County Public Schools. From 2010 to 2017, she worked as an Assistant United States Attorney.
Ahn’s role as Inspector General will be to investigate Maryland public schools, which would include her former employer, Montgomery County Public Schools. Some, including Maryland State Senator Justin Ready, who voted against Ahn’s appointment, have said that’s a concern.
“Where do your sympathies lie?” Ready told Project Baltimore last week. “I think there’s a question of, are we are we putting somebody here to make sure we paper over things or to make sure we get to the bottom of things? And I think that’s a question for any nominee for a position like that.”
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But that’s not Ready’s only concern. Members of the Maryland State Board of Education are appointed by the Governor. So are many local school board members, including in Baltimore County. Ahn, as IG, will be required to investigate state and local education officials appointed by Governor Moore.
“Are they truly going to be independent or are they there to just do maybe a political agenda or kind of watch the governor’s back versus watch out for taxpayer dollars?” Ready questioned.
The governor’s office told FOX45 News Ahn would recuse herself if any conflicts did arise regarding Montgomery County Public Schools and hand over the investigation to the Inspector General in Montgomery County.
In a statement to FOX45 News, Governor Moore’s office explained, “The OIGE is an independent office, and Governor Moore fully respects and expects that independence. If confirmed by the Senate, Ms. Ahn will follow the facts, apply the law fairly, and discharge her responsibilities with the highest ethical standards as she has done throughout her career.”
Friday, the Maryland State Senate has approved Governor Wes Moore’s choice to be the next State Inspector General for Education (WBFF)
Ahn starts her new job later this month, becoming the state’s second IG for Education.
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