Tuesday, February 26, 2013
Parents, teachers and advocates throughout the area headed to Annapolis to lobby for school construction funds.
Several groups helped organized a rally on Lawyers' Mall outside of the Maryland State House Monday night to lobby support for legislation creating block grants to build and repair Baltimore schools. Groups, such as the ACLU of Maryland, Baltimore Education Coalition and Greater Homewood Community Corporation, organized buses to the rally from throughout the city, many of them from North Baltimore including The Barclay School, Waverly Elementary/Middle School, Margaret Brent Elementary/Middle School and at the Poly/Western campus. Organizers said they expected as many as 3,000 parents, teachers and advocates to gather on the mall to show support for the ambitious plan backed by Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. Essentially, the city wants …
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Stokes defended his stance against the bottle tax during a Baltimore Education Coalition rally on Monday.
Councilman Carl Stokes said that by not holding a vote on a proposed bottle tax increase he is keeping the legislation alive. "The committee—I’m keeping the bill alive—the committee doesn’t want it," Stokes said. Stokes, who represents Remington and Charles Village, made his comments in an interview following his appearance at the Baltimore Education Coalition’s rally at the War Memorial Building on Monday. Stokes stood up before the rally, which was held in part to show support for the tax increase, and said he wants the city to reevaluate its total budget and not just depend on a bottle tax for school construction. When asked during the rally if he would let the bill out of committee Stokes did not answer. Stokes is the chairman of the …
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
The Baltimore Education Coalition is pushing lawmakers for support of bills they say are needed to improve city public schools.
Ted Smith Jr., who has taught middle school Social Studies at Guilford Elementary and Middle School for 12 years, said the lack of capital funding for city public schools is sending his students a clear message. He said a school without an auditorium, which also has a portable classroom that has been in use since 1971, makes it painfully obvious to his students that they aren’t as important as children in wealthier suburban jurisdictions. “A portable gives the impression you are being warehoused,” Smith said. Smith was one of 136 students, teachers and residents the Baltimore Education Coalition organized to go to Annapolis on Monday to urge lawmakers to support bills they say are vital for school funding. Residents were supposed to meet…
Rodney C Burris
6:22 pm on Friday, March 1, 2013
This was magical. Chilly night, packed with Parents, Children, Teachers,& Advocates from all over Baltimore City. My 8yrol sat on my shoulders, holding up a sign stating "Save Our Schools!" -- Highlight: seeing another dad doing the same exact same thing with his 2nd grader Lol. Great bonding time; great exposure for her to community advocacy. Any one have any other photos from the night? more ›