Protests Planned Following School Board Member Guessford’s Remark on Islamic Center Event

Two protest events are scheduled for Tuesday, October 21st, calling for the removal of Michael Guessford from the Washington County Board of Education, according to a social media post by Washington County Indivisible. The protests stem from a comment made by Guessford on a Facebook post regarding an event organized by the local Islamic Center, which was held on October 18th. The event, intended to foster community understanding and offer insights into Islamic culture and traditions, was announced in a Herald Mail article on October 9th.

Guessford, a member of the Washington County Public Schools Board of Education, commented “We need to protest” on the Facebook post related to the Islamic Center’s planned event. In response to this remark, Washington County Indivisible is urging community members to participate in the protests. One demonstration is planned from 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM at the Center for Education Services, located at 10435 Downsville Pike. Participants are encouraged to bring signs demanding Guessford’s removal from the school board. A groundbreaking ceremony for a new elementary school is scheduled for 1:00 PM at the same location, and protesters are asked to position themselves along the driveway by 12:30 PM. A second opportunity to protest will be during the business meeting at 6:00 PM. Due to potential restrictions on sign size at the meeting, organizers suggest using 8.5 x 11 inch paper signs.

A petition is also online calling for Guessford’s removal, and as of publishing has 340 signatures.

In response to negative commentary regarding the open house, the Islamic Society of Western Maryland (ISWMD) extended an invitation for individuals with concerns or questions to meet them in person. The full statement of the ISWMD can be found in previous coverage.

“The comments of one individual Board member do not reflect the positions, Policies, and mission of the Board of Education,” said Dr. April Zentmeyer, President of Washington County Board of Education in a previous statement sent to Radio Free Hub City. “While Board members hold personal opinions, the Board’s collective work remains focused on providing a safe, respectful, and welcoming learning environment for each student in Washington County Public Schools.”

No official statement has been released by Michael Guessford to Radio Free Hub City regarding his comment. However, it has been reported that he has privately contacted some individuals who publicly criticized his remarks. As we are not able to verify the authenticity of such communications, we are unable to publish them, but will happily publish any statement sent to us by Guessford directly.

Article by multiple RFHC contributors, based upon information from Washington County Indivisible and previous coverage.

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