Plan To Cut Funding To Dozens Of Baltimore Charter Schools Now On Hold
BALTIMORE (WJZ)--A plan to cut funding to several city charter schools is on hold Wednesday night after the current and a former Baltimore mayor step in.
As WJZ's Gigi Barnett explains, parents and students say without the choice to pick their schools, many of them are poised to leave the city.
With chants and cheers that filled Baltimore school headquarters, parents and students speak out against a controversial plan that would have cut millions to several city charter schools that could shut those schools down.
"This is a big of an impact as you can get. To close a charter school. So, I don't see how they can move forward with this proposal," said Liz Soliman.
City school CEO Gregory Thornton devised a plan to chop funding to about 25 charter schools.
Right away, that drew backlash from charter school principals, who filed a lawsuit against the district, claiming that Thornton wasn't following the state laws to fund charter schools just as much as traditional schools.
Parents and teachers at charters say Thornton's money-saving plan would undo all of the progress they've made so far.
"The Montessori school that we have and that our kids attend was an empty building in a blighted neighborhood and now it's a vibrant school with a great community around it," said Rene Bondima. "This is also going to impact residents staying or leaving Baltimore City."
But tonight, the plan they feared is on ice after Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake asked former Mayor Kurt Schmoke to step in and mediate a solution.
Rawlings-Blake says she wants to see compromise that keeps parents and the district out of court.
Charter school parents say they want the district to hear their voices as talks continue. They've planned a rally to get more parents involved. It's this Saturday at 10:30 at Lake Montebello.
