Five days after shutting down the school because of a racist threat, we are learning more about how Loyola Blakefield is working to change.
RELATED: Racist graffiti closes Loyola Blakefield for the day
On Tuesday, school administrators orchestrated a meeting with some of the African American Alumni, who brought suggestions on what to do to fix the ongoing race issues at the school.
ABC2 News was sent an invite to the meeting but was kicked off campus by security when they arrived. Two of the members of the Black Alumni Association came across the street to talk to us and share their ideas, but no one from the school was willing to talk about the issue further than the release they sent the week of the incident.
Racism isn't new to the Baltimore area and as displayed by the threat etched on a bathroom stall, it's alive and well in our youth.
"I saw it, alumni who went here in the 70's they saw it. But if you talk to alumni at private schools in the area, peer schools they'll also say they've experienced racist events like this as well," said Wesley Wood a member of the Black Alumni Association.
On Friday, school administrators organized a meeting between the black alumni association and the school, and the school continued to take suggestions to bridge the gap on Tuesday.
"They all could use more African American faculty, administrators, students. If you know the history of Baltimore and know how segregated Baltimore has been historically, to make substantial gains in those areas at these schools which are bastions of white elitism, would go a long way to healing whatever divide there is in Baltimore," said Wood.
They are calling for seven action items in total:
1. Increase the percentage of Black faculty and administrators. Calling for 25% of the faculty and administrators to be African American by 2021.
2. Diversify the Curriculum. Broaden studies of the African American culture and history.
3. Enshrine Black participation on admission and financial aid committees. Advocate the recruitment of Black students from public schools to give opportunities to boys often excluded from the selection process.
4. Immediately establish a Zero Tolerance Against Racism Policy on campus.
5. Conduct Undoing Racism workshops for all students and faculty.
6. Recognize the Loyola Blakefield Black Alumni Association. Make the group a certified charter.
7. Community Immersion. Change the community service requirement for graduation to include projects in Baltimore City.
Carl Stokes, a member of the Loyola Blakefield Black Alumni Association, said he's encouraged by administrations response but needs to see action.
"The response has been yeah let's get talking about this. Our disappointment has been that this has been on the table for the last 4 or 5 years we've been saying let's do these things to make our school stronger and better," said Stokes
School administrators refusing to talk to the media on Tuesday, an action Stokes calls a public relations mistake.
"Administration here at the school should hold a press conversation about what has happened and what the next steps are because I think it shows the greater community that there is an effort to do well," said Stokes.
Ralph Moore, A member of the Black Alumni Association, said the school created the Frank Fisher Scholarship which is exclusively for African American students.
Telling us the schools board of directors now has five African American members and that 5 of the 150 staff are African American.
The person who wrote the message hasn't been caught--Baltimore County Police are investigating.
You can see the school's full commenthere.
