Maryland House GOP Calls for State Takeover of City Schools

The Maryland House Republican Caucus sent a letter to State Superintendent of Schools Mohammed Choudhury and the Maryland State Board of Education asking for the state of Maryland to take over Baltimore City Public Schools and for the resignation of Baltimore City School Superintendent Dr. Sonja Brookins Santelises.

The request is after the Maryland Inspector General for Education found that grade s changed in Baltimore City School after a multi-year investigation.

“Baltimore City Public Schools have been plagued with scandal and have been failing students for decades. This grading scheme is only one episode in a series of problems. Ghost students, students not receiving adequate medical care, drops in student performance, instances of PTSD among City school teachers; an ever-growing and disturbing list of failure and outright danger exist in the Baltimore City Public School system,” said a portion of the letter.

“This is one of the most well-funded school systems in the state and the nation. According to 2020 Census Data, Baltimore City Schools has the fifth-highest per-pupil spending in the entire nation. Maryland’s taxpayers have a vested interest in Baltimore City’s schools, not only from a financial perspective but from a moral one. There must be accountability on the local level for this abject failure.”