Anne Arundel school board member Robert Silkworth running unopposed for District 2 seat
Robert Silkworth, the District 2 representative on the Anne Arundel County Board of Education, is running unopposed in the November election.
Silkworth, an Old Mill resident, was first elected in 2020. He became board president in December after serving as vice president for the last two years.
He is a retired educator of 49 years and aside from attending Towson State University has lived in and served the Anne Arundel County school district his entire adult life.
“I taught for 49 years for the kids, and the kids continue to be my motivation,” Silkworth said. “I think since I’ve been on the board we’ve done some good things, but I believe we still have some challenges ahead. With elections leading to board turnover, I thought it was important for me to stay on the board.”
District 2 consists of the Glen Burnie High School and Old Mill High School clusters.
Silkworth, 74, is one of four incumbents running in the Nov. 5 race. The others are Gloria Dent of District 1, Dana Schallheim of District 5, and Joanna Bache Tobin of District 6. He is the only candidate running unopposed.
Another 15 people have filed to run for the six other nonpartisan seats held by adults. The eighth seat is for one student member elected by fellow students and appointed by the governor for a year-long term.
Silkworth said he is proud of how the board navigated the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, which forced the school system to adopt a virtual model, though there were ways he feels the board could have done better. He also said the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, a massive state education reform package, offers the board its next big obstacle.
In his first term, Silkworth was involved in the hiring process that brought Superintendent Mark Bedell to the county from Kansas City in 2022 and considers it one of his most significant accomplishments. Bedell, he said, has done a great job navigating challenges and helping put the county on track to go from good to great.
“My initial reaction was that making a new hire for the superintendent seat wasn’t the best move,” Silkworth said. “We knew as a board what we needed but we weren’t sure what were our available candidates. He’s been a breath of fresh air, he’s what I believe we needed and since he’s come to Anne Arundel County his ability to be able to build relationships with all the stakeholders across the spectrum is just off the charts.”
Going forward, Silkworth hopes to continue building relationships with students and teachers because he feels that’s the best way to help them.
“I learned as a teacher that nothing matters if I can’t build relationships with my students, so I hope to continue using those skills to add to the board,” he said. “With good health, it looks like I’ll get the opportunity since I’m running unopposed.”
Silkworth holds degrees in secondary education and French from Towson State University. His teaching career started at Southern Junior High School, where he taught for two years. He moved to Brooklyn Park High School in 1974 and remained there until the school merged with Andover High School to become North County High School in 1990.
Silkworth and his wife of 54 years, Linda, live in Old Mill. They have three children, Kimberly, Robert and Katie. He also has a twin brother, Judge Ronald A. Silkworth, who serves on the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court.