Stranded Students And Early Dismissals Mark First Day Of School In Baltimore City

By Christina Sturdivant Sani ● Education ● September 1, 2021 ● 1 Comment

Late school buses are at the center of a funding debate in Baltimore County. Photo by pxfuel.

What’s happening?

Baltimore City Schools got off to a rocky start on Monday, August 30. A shortage of bus drivers left 300 students stranded, and inadequate air conditioning caused early dismissals at 24 schools.

How did this happen?

The lack of bus drivers was due to a series of callouts, according to The Baltimore Sun. School system officials weren’t able to explain why the drivers called out.

Officials addressed the air conditioning issue in a press release saying they “understand the concerns and frustrations of families.” When Sonja Santelises became the city schools’ CEO in 2016, there were 76 schools without air conditioning, the newspaper reports.

Anything else I should know?

The first day of school wasn’t a bust for everyone. “I am super excited,” Erin Ruiz, a sixth-grade math teacher at Armistead Gardens Elementary/Middle School, told The Baltimore Sun. “It definitely felt incomplete last year not seeing students in person. I could feel their nerves, but I can tell they’re happy too.”

You can read more here.

Author

Christina Sturdivant Sani

Christina Sturdivant Sani is a writer and editor who has contributed to nearly two dozen publications including Washington Post, the Baltimore Afro-American newspaper, and Bloomberg’s CityLab.

At Bloc by Block News, Christina is responsible for setting and implementing the vision for the cooperative’s editorial initiatives. In this role, she’s intentional about amplifying the voices of people—both writers and subjects—who have historically been silenced by white-led media outlets.

Christina is also a podcast junkie, audiobook lover, coffee shop connoisseur, and proud Washington, D.C. native. She studied print journalism at Hampton University.

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Christina Sturdivant Sani

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