Parent: Funding vital for continued city schools renaissance
Here's the view of Bobbi Macdonald, president of City Neighbors Charter School, co-chair of Coalition of Baltimore Charter Schools, board member of Maryland Charter School Network, and mother of Sadie (11), Eve (9) and Ramsay (6), all City Neighbors students:
The proposed education budget cuts to Maryland’s poorest counties shows poor timing. Baltimore City and Prince George’s County would lose nearly $59 million, 80 percent of the total cut. Meanwhile, the state’s richest counties -- Montgomery and Howard -- will have their funding increased by an additional $28 million.
There was a time when Annapolis could vote to under-serve the poorest counties. Back then, Baltimore City and PG County folks weren’t organized, and many families in the city were not participating because the system was unresponsive to change. But the times they are a-changin’ because now the public school system happens to be in the midst of a beautiful transformation.
Now Baltimore has schools of choice with varying levels of autonomy. There are close to 30 charter schools in the city, and 15 more transformation schools, and 10 more innovation schools, and still some New Schools Initiative schools. Even the traditional “system” schools are getting site-based management and more power over how their funds are spent. The schools of Baltimore are expanding, integrating and rising up. System-wide enrollment has increased for the first time in decades.
Now there is a growing and organized force of creative, inspired, dedicated parents and educators who are thinking, dreaming, and working tirelessly to make our schools serve our children. Now Annapolis is dealing with public schools that are filled with people all organized around an ideal. And we have our visionary leader, Dr. Alonso, who is willing to make tough decisions, who believes in all of us, and in the capacity of our children. We must support him from the State House to the row house.
Governor, 10 years ago, as mayor, you invited the “Creative Class” into your city. We came. We got organized.
Now, you are a creative person. Please find another way.
Baltimoresun.com's 
Comments
Well said, Bobbi, well said.
Posted by: Bill | January 26, 2009 9:25 AM
I wonder. A couple years ago when my child's, now former school was closed, the system used declining enrollment and the cost savings from closing the under used facility to justify it being shuttered. In the prevailing years a number of charter type schools now occupied the building with fewer students and more administrators. Does the growth in Charter, Innovative and other non-traditional schools increase the financial burden to the system?
Posted by: OverTheTop | January 26, 2009 12:10 PM
@OTT - We're in a financial crisis. Is this really the time to be breaking into factions? I would hope that no one involved in City Schools (whether in a traditional school, a magnet school, a charter school or whatever other type of school you can think of) is happy with these funding cuts. If they get passed the pain will be spread amongst us all. For the time being can't we all work together to keep this disaster from happening?
Posted by: a parent | January 26, 2009 12:49 PM
This is an amazing opportunity to demonstrate where education ranks on our list of priorities to those in power. On February 26th, from 8am-3pm, Students Sharing Coalition together with Health Care for the Homeless are organizing their 17th annual Day in Annapolis, where students from all over Baltimore City and County, together with the homeless and other residents descend upon their elected officials to advocate for the issues they care about. For all of the teachers out there, I strongly recommend you call or e-mail Brandy Kelly to get your students involved in this opportunity. 410-662-8999 or brandy@studentssharing.org
I need to hurry up and get our kids together at BFA!
Posted by: Corey | January 26, 2009 5:08 PM