Maryland NAACP calls education of Black students 'dreadful', warns school leaders

BALTIMORE (WBFF) — The Maryland NAACP is calling on local and state school leaders to address what it calls an “intolerable” situation for African American students in Maryland public schools.

The Maryland State Conference NAACP has announced plans to hold a conference later this month, where school leaders and education experts can discuss strategies to improve outcomes for African American students.

In a press release issued Monday morning, the Maryland NAACP said it has attempted to work with state and local education agencies “to remedy the dreadful education circumstances that confront the children”, but the situation has only gotten worse.

The group cites, “Lagging academic achievement, students graduating without necessary proficiency, breakdown in school discipline, inappropriate treatment of special education students, and school to prison pipeline”

The Maryland NAACP says the conference is a good faith effort to discuss strategies and improve education outcomes, but “If there is no substantial progress to improve the critical status of African American students, other actions may be necessary and will have to be pursued.”

The conference is scheduled for June 15 and 16 at the Maritime Institute in Linthicum Heights, Maryland.

The education of black students, specifically in Baltimore City, has also captured the attention of civil rights attorney Ben Crump.

In July 2022, Crump joined a lawsuit against Baltimore City Schools, which accuses the school system of wasting tax dollars and failing educate generations of students.

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The lawsuit was filed by Baltimore residents Jovani and Shawnda Patterson, who say the city is misusing their tax dollars because students in the public school system aren’t getting the education they deserve. The lawsuit claims taxpayers are forced to foot the bill for not only a broken education system, but the added costs for the criminal justice and social welfare systems as well. The complaint, filed in Baltimore City Circuit Court, cites several FOX45 Project Baltimore investigations exposing poor test scores, grade changing, students promoted without completing course work, and inflated enrollment numbers. In November 2022, a judge denied a motion to dismiss the suit filed by Baltimore City and City Schools, allowing the case to move into the discovery phase. Update, January 31, 2024: At the time this story was originally published, WBFF’s reporters and staff had no knowledge of David Smith’s involvement in the lawsuit brought by Jovani and Shawnda Patterson against the Baltimore City School Board of Commissioners, the Baltimore City Council, and Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott. WBFF only recently became aware that Mr. Smith, the Executive Chairman of Sinclair, Inc., WBFF’s parent company, is financially connected to the lawsuit. Mr. Smith was not involved in any of the reporting or editorial decisions concerning WBFF’s coverage of the lawsuit. For the interest of transparency, WBFF will ensure any coverage, past and future, of this lawsuit contains an appropriate disclosure.