Women are reacting with outrage over the comments made by two Frederick County commissioners Tuesday advising Head Start mothers to stay married and not hold jobs outside the home.

Commissioners Kirby Delauter (R) and C. Paul Smith (R) said during a meeting that the best way to help their children succeed in life is to stay married and stay home with their children. Both men touted their wives and the sacrifices they made by not holding jobs outside the home. ...

On Tuesday, commissioners voted 4-1 to pull $2.3 million in county funding from the Head Start program as of March 1. ...

The program is designed to serve children ages 3 to 4 in families that fall below the federal poverty line: $22,050 in salary for a family of four. The program serves nearly 280 students annually throughout the county and has existed for 39 years.

Commissioners listened Tuesday as emotionally distraught parents begged them not to pull the county's share of the funding.

Delauter and Smith said they understood their concerns, but then proceeded to offer their own advice.

"As many of you know, I had a lot of kids and my wife stayed home at a significant sacrifice in those early years, because she knew she had to be with those kids," said Smith, who is the parent of 12 [!!!] children. "I know everybody isn't able to survive doing that, but clearly if we can strengthen marriage, we can decrease the number of children we have to reach."