BALTIMORE — Educators throughout Maryland plan to march at the state capitol to demand more school funding.
More than 5,000 teachers are expected to be in Annapolis Monday fighting for funds for their schools. Together they are pushing for more money for Maryland schools as well as for teachers in the state to make more money.
They'll be joined by members of the Maryland State Education Association and several community leaders. The march will also include several speakers discussing the need for more money for schools.
Rallies like this have taken place in other states like West Virginia, Oklahoma and Arizona.
The president of the Maryland State Education Association Cheryl Bost said, “We are proud to bring that movement here to Maryland.”
According to the Maryland State Education Association, the Kirwan commission received a state-commissioned report in 2016, showing Maryland public schools are underfunded by $2.9 billion every year.
Since then, the Kirwan Commission has worked diligently to determine how to best improve education by fully funding our schools. Through that process, they have learned:
- Maryland teachers make 25% less than comparable professions
- More than 24,000 educational support professionals like school secretaries and school bus drivers don’t make a living wage
- School counselors and psychologists in Maryland have far too many students in their caseloads, often twice the level of national industry standard
- Many students still do not have access to pre-kindergarten or career and technical education
- Students in wealthier districts receive greater local and state funding than students in more low-income districts, contributing to income- and race-based opportunity gaps
- Educators will not be striking or walking out as other states have done. This march will happen during the evening after school hours.
Organizers expect this to be the largest rally in Annapolis in nearly a decade. The march is scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m. starting from Navy stadium and head towards the State House.
