I was attending a training session for the Maryland Youth & Government program when I found myself at Western High School in Baltimore, Maryland. As I entered the all-girls public school, I began fanning my face—the building’s HVAC system wasn’t working.
Carrying my water bottle to the nearest restroom, hoping to refill it, I was confronted by the water fountain’s DO NOT DRINK signs. The female restroom was located in a dark corner, preceded by a decrepit storage facility, with teal walls that were ruined with age. Once the toilet flushed after many failed attempts, it produced yellowish water. Washing my hands was tough—the soap was nearly out and the sink barely produced enough water to wet my hands.
The experience I had is not exclusive to Western High School, but a prevalent issue in schools across Baltimore County, Maryland. As a Montgomery County resident, the states of Baltimore schools, compared to those in Bethesda, are stark opposites. My shock at the building’s amenities was met with surprise. I was told that Western High is one of the good schools.
According to Councilman James Torrence, Baltimore City has received $120 million for schoolwide renovations, explaining the caution tape that lines school buildings across the city. A Baltimore native, raised in public housing, Torrence aims to improve the “appalling conditions” of his former high school, Carver Vo-Tech, as well as other schools like it. This project is currently facilitating the renovation of Western High School, scheduled to begin in the summer of 2026, relocating students to the Chinquapin Middle School in the meantime.
According to Fox 5 News, Baltimore City has one of the highest public school spending budgets in the United States, spending approximately $20,000 per student. Over 70% of this budget comes from state funding, such as the Kirwan Commission, not encompassing the additional federal funding going directly toward the district.
Yet, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)’s 2024 national results reveal that Baltimore City students in grades 4-8, have some of the lowest test scores in the country despite being one of the most heavily funded districts. Councilman Torrence specifically attributes the disruption of Baltimore schools’ learning environment to the high poverty, crime and gun violence rates in the city.
It is not the first time that Baltimore schools have received large funding or renovations. Despite these incentives, these schools are failing to provide equitable opportunities for their students. Programs such as the 21st Century School Buildings Program began in 2010, dedicating over $400 million towards schoolwide renovations. Nonetheless, studies still show that students in counties such as Baltimore and Prince George’s have significantly fewer teachers, available courses and academic opportunities than wealthier counties such as Montgomery or Howard County.
Why is it that Baltimore City has struggled for so many years despite having been such a prominent region in its past? Why is it that students still struggle despite all the funding in their favor? Why is it that Maryland has a 71% African-American incarceration rate, higher than that of several Southern states? We can trace these issues back to the century-long history of red-lining, the creation of color-coded maps that denied mortgages and financing services to primarily black and immigrant neighborhoods.
Somewhat overlooked is the city’s historical white-flight, the drastic migration of white urban residents to the city’s outskirts and suburbs. Preceding the implementation of redlining by nearly 30 years, white flight explains Baltimore’s high segregation between urban and suburban areas. This is recognized as the ‘black butterfly’: a term describing the visual spread of black neighborhoods across the city’s center, resembling a butterfly’s wings, as a result of discriminatory practices such as redlining.
What pains me in particular are the stories I hear about Baltimore from the perspective of Montgomery County residents—how gang violence is prevalent, how students get “knocked up” or “wasted” before finishing high school. I hear students from my county complain about their academic experiences—how lunch isn’t long enough, how homework is too frequent or how specific teachers grade too harshly, when they have yet to experience a day in the life as a Baltimore City student.
Photo of Baltimore City, courtesy of Creative Commons
It is no news that Baltimore is a city riddled with crime and poverty, nor is it that the vast population of black students in the city is significantly disadvantaged than other Maryland counties. My surprise is at the magic show, the vanishing effect of all the money put towards the city’s school system. An internal audit conducted in September 2025 revealed significant payroll fraud and record falsification, resulting in incorrect paychecks for Baltimore teachers and staff totaling over $1.5 million. Over $5 million in public school expenditures were “mishandled” and improperly awarded to undeserving parties.
How does it feel to be a Baltimore City student, whose government, which was designed to serve you, disregards your existence and denies you a proper education? Maryland Governor Wes Moore’s book, The Other Wes Moore, outlines these feelings clearly. The “other” Wes Moore, who is currently serving a life sentence, had the opportunity to reform his life: he had completed the Job Corps program and became a trained carpenter. But, when he returned home only to find work paying less than $9 an hour, he returned to life in the streets.
For many faced with persistent violence and financial difficulties, the only way out is to behave in the way that society expects them to. For Baltimore students, people think they have them figured out. What these students don’t know is that if given the chance, they would grow into a force too powerful to be concealed.
The lack of proper infrastructure and academic opportunities for the students in Baltimore County is indicative of a larger national issue—one where opportunities are consolidated for the wealthy and primarily white. This young generation is the future of our country; we must ensure they have equal opportunities to make something of themselves by providing them with proper education. As human rights activist Malcolm X said, “Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.”
Written by Mona Al Rasheed
Photo courtesy of Creative Commons