Extreme Makeover: BCPSS Edition

There has been a lot on my mind lately.  As we start the 4^th quarter I contemplate what I need to do with my students before the summer arrives and they move on (hopefully) to the next grade; we attended many hours of Professional Development this past weekend, a significant amount of which was dedicated to thinking about the big picture in Baltimore, achieving transformational change for our students, and what our own legacies and ideals are as educators; and I look ahead to putting the finishing touches on my own Teaching Portfolio.  To be sure, this is surely a time full of reflection for many of us. 

However, as I sit here typing this, there is only one thing on my mind.  Something that is persistent and pressing and refuses to be ignored:  Oh my GOODNESS is it ever HOT in here!!!!  It’s a hot sunny Monday morning bleeding into a scorching and oppressive afternoon in Baltimore City.  I – like hundreds of my fellow teachers along with the students that we teach – am sitting in an un-air-conditioned classroom.  It’s hot.  Really, really (really really) hot. And it’s just April – there is more where this came from.  As I walk through the hallway on my planning period, I see students wilted across their desks, the drone of four or five fans in each classroom loud enough to compete with the voices of the teachers and students engaged in their lessons.   As I think about all of the things our students need, from rigorous instruction to school supplies, nutritious meals to sex education, I find myself asking: shouldn’t a little AC make that list?  At first blush it’s easy to think that AC is a “nice to have” not a “need to have” and to some degree there is validity in that.  Students need books and nutrition more than they need air conditioning.  But at the same time, the stifling heat that permeates most public education facilities and book ends our school years should not be ignored nor underestimated.   What message are we sending our students when we demand that they slug through hours on end in what could only be classified as extreme discomfort.  Is this an environment in which learning is happening?  A place where students are excited to come and eagerly take in all that they can?  No – when it’s this hot, our students are mostly looking at their watches and waiting for the day to be over.  They are not concerned about learning, about whether they are catching up to or falling further behind their suburban peers. 

So because of this I wanted to check out the latest buzz surrounding the push to improve Baltimore’s school facilities.  The new $2.8 billion dollar campaign, led by Transform Baltimore, has been generating buzz and garnering support all year long.  The city’s Mayor, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, and City Schools CEO Dr. Alonso have recently presented a united front to bring about this badly-needed renovation and rejuvenation.   What’s more, the city’s business leaders and economic communities are taking note.  They argue that the city’s schools will play a vital role in attracting the ~10,000 new families that are needed to sustain Baltimore’s economic vitality.  Without getting into the details of the proposed plans, leveraged finance, and taxes, etc….it’s clear that a lot of people support new school buildings for Baltimore’s youth.  Why can’t we make this happen? 

On a recent school visit this fall, the difference that a building can make was illustrated to me in a very powerful way.  I was lucky enough to be given a tour of the City Neighbors high school.  The minute you walk through the door of this high school, you know it’s a special place.  It feels more like a (new and nice) college building than a public school facility.  It feels like a building where the students are respected, honored, and cherished.  Where the students are given what they need to grow and develop, and then are held to high mutual standards of respect and hard work.  The students themselves respect the building – there is no graffiti; only excellent-quality examples of student work adorn the walls.   As a community, we need to take pride in our schools, take pride in our students, and give them an educational experience that is inspiring and will serve them for the rest of their lives.  Ultimately, it is an investment not simply in real estate around the city of Baltimore, but in the next generation and what they can do for the city.

During last period today I received (and distributed to my students) a letter signed by Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Dr. Alonso, and the Chair of Baltimore City's Board of School Commissioners. It addresses many of the issues discussed above. A few key take-aways:

- The letter reiterates the sentiment that we must provide better school buildings to support our students' education.

- It is more efficient and cost-effective to undergo this renovation now; it will only be more expensive if we put it off.

- At the Baltimore City level, the City Council is considering raising the beverage container tax to help raise revenues.

- At the state level, they are working on securing a block grant to leverage in order to secure more funds.

- As citizens and educators, we are called upon to support this issue and make our voices heard.