BEC Gathers a Crowd

Last night, teams of parents, grandparents, teachers, administrators, community members and nonprofit organizations – about 200 people in all – gathered together to join the Baltimore Education Coalition’s efforts to support schools in Baltimore City during this legislative session. The Digital Harbor High School filled with education advocates as they discussed initiatives and organizing strategy to support and ensure funding for education in Baltimore City. Greater Homewood Community Corporation (GHCC) is a BEC member organization and leader and we are invested in its success. GHCC organizes parents and staff at its six partner school and reaches out to involve and invest neighbors in the cause of City Schools. Last night GHCC brought 25 people to the event, who were briefed on the issues and split into legislative district teams to plan how they will work together during the January- April state legislative session. Everyone had a story of a crumbling school building or an underfunded school their child attends.

This year, the BEC is fighting for the necessary funding and resources needed to properly educate children. This includes preserving the Thornton inflation factor in the 2012-2013 state education budget and ensuring cuts do not get made in already thin City Schools budgers. In addition, the BEC is leading the Transform Baltimore campaign, a push to renovate and modernize all school buildings deemed to be in poor condition—which is over 70% of Baltimore City schools. To do so requires flexible funding for education at the city and state levels.

School teams met by district, planned the organizing strategy to advocate for education in Annapolis, and ended the night with specific goals and next action steps in hand.

The BEC campaign goals include:
(1) All Baltimore City public school students shall have a world class education
(2) New, fully-renovated, green and energy efficient school buildings for all Baltimore City school students, educators and school communities.
(3) The Baltimore City legislative delegation will be a unified force and strong advocate for Baltimore City Public Schools.

Visit www.becforourkids.org and www.transformbaltimore.org to join your District team effort!

Visit GHCC’s Flickr page to see more images from last night’s event.