Close Baltimore Community High School **

  • by: Terri Erhardt-Hoskins
  • recipient: Baltimore City Government, Baltimore City School Board of Education & Law Makers

The violence the youth displayed clearly shows the school Administrators are unable control the students.

Baltimore Sun Wrote:

Following the brutal beating of a Dundalk man, local lawmakers are asking for the closure of a Baltimore City alternative high school where students allegedly involved in the attack attend.

In a letter sent to city school officials on Tuesday, Dundalk representatives asked for an immediate closure of the Baltimore Community High School. City school officials have said that the school, which is an alternative high school, is already scheduled to close in 2017.

Charging documents: Teens punched, kicked, stomped on Dundalk victim
Charging documents: Teens punched, kicked, stomped on Dundalk victim
But that's not soon enough for the Dundalk lawmakers, who wrote, "We request expeditious closing of this school for the good of the students and the Harborview Community in Dundalk."

The letter was signed by Baltimore County Councilman Todd Crandell, state Sen. Johnny Ray Salling, Del. Robin Grammer, Del. Bob Long and Del. Ric Metzgar, who are all Republicans representing Dundalk.


On April 22, Dundalk resident Richard Fletcher, 61, intervened in a fight between girls outside his home on 45th Street. The group of teens turned on him and beat him so badly he ended up in the hospital with a brain bleed, nasal fracture, orbital fracture and possible broken ribs, according to charging documents filed in court by Baltimore County Police.

Seven young people have been charged in the attack, with several facing charges of attempted first-degree murder. The school's principal has acknowledged that students were involved in the attack. The school is located just over the city line from where the attack occurred.


School officials helped police review cell phone and surveillance video of the attack to identify the students who were allegedly involved.

Since the April 22 attack, county police increased patrols at dismissal time, when students leave the school to walk to MTA bus stops. The MTA has moved one of the stops closer to the school.

But the Dundalk lawmakers believe the city police and school officials "have shown little commitment to solving this systemic issue."

Neighbors have complained that students leaving school have long been disruptive in the neighborhood, blocking traffic by walking in the middle of the street, littering and fighting.

"Recent arrests and increased police presence has only served to heighten tensions and further increase the danger to both students and residents," the lawmakers wrote. "Perhaps at no time in the past decade have things become more dangerous than they are right now."

pwood@baltsun.com

News 11 WBAL :

DUNDALK, Md. —A near-death vicious attack of a Dundalk man allegedly at the hands of students has a community searching for options for a school that they say has been a bad neighbor for too long.

DUNDALK BEATING
Neighbors want school shut down
More teens charged in beating of...
Teen charged as adult in beating of...
Dundalk man recovering after beating
Man beaten in Dundalk released from...
Mobile users tap here to watch video

Members of a frustrated and fearful Dundalk community met Monday night to find ways to deal with Baltimore Community High School, an alternative school for students who have learning disabilities and behavior issues. It's in a neighborhood where some people say they avoid going outside when school lets out each day.

Residents said things can get tense between students and residents in the adjacent neighborhood.

"I think the bottom line is the school needs to close. We've all seen and heard of reports about kids leaving the school and destruction they've caused in the neighborhood over years and years and years, and it has finally came to this," said Jack Stuprich, of Dundalk

A group of seven students is charged in the April 22 beating of 61-year-old Rick Fletcher. Residents at the meeting said that's not the only incident.

"For years, vandalism, burglaries, there have been beatings, this is the worst one. The next step is someone is going to get murdered," said Barb Ferguson, of Dundalk.

Most of the students at the school live in Baltimore City and take Maryland Transit Administration buses to and from the school. After the beating of Fletcher, MTA agreed to pick up and drop off the students closer to the school, but residents and state and local officials are searching for a permanent fix.

"All we want to do is we make sure that we make a safe haven for the people in that community," said Sen. John Salling, R-Baltimore County.

Some residents say meetings like Monday's have been held before, with few results.

"The politicians don't care. All we get from them is verbiage stating how they're working hard to circumvent this problem. It's the same thing you hear over and over and over again," said Larry Ferguson, of Dundalk.

The residents who attended the meeting said they want the school closed immediately, but school officials said that's easier said than done, especially when there's no plan for where to place those students.

Sign Petition
Sign Petition
You have JavaScript disabled. Without it, our site might not function properly.

Privacy Policy

By signing, you accept Care2's Terms of Service.
You can unsub at any time here.

Having problems signing this? Let us know.