Mergers and the Neoliberal Agenda in Baltimore: Considering the Impact on Marshall High School

• In Event: 18.071 - Roundtable Session 5
  In Roundtable Session: 18.071-17 - Framing Educational (In)Equity in Baltimore: From Origins to Solutions

Abstract

Purpose
As a means of understanding the ways in which Baltimore City Public Schools have produced poor learning outcomes for masses of African American students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, in recent history, this presentation will highlight the impact of the 1997 merger between the State of Maryland and Baltimore City in the management of Baltimore City Public Schools by focusing on the teaching and learning outcomes at the largest high school in the Baltimore City Public Schools. This school, herein referenced as Marshall High School, is unique in that it features students who come from varying socioeconomic backgrounds and diverse communities throughout the city. Understandings about Marshall provide insight into the ways that the merger has impacted students from varying backgrounds.

While the merger was intended to address inequitable funding for a school system that was seeking to address the lowest graduation rates, test scores as well as the highest amount of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds in the state of Maryland, the intended goals of the merger have not been realized, in part, due to a lack of focus on those community based issues related to race and social class that have played a prevalent role in both the history and current view of Baltimore City.

The merger signaled the emergence of a neoliberal agenda, which has impacted teaching and learning outcomes throughout Baltimore.

Perspectives/Theoretical Framework
Although espousing the language of equality and civil rights, critical race theory provides a framework for understanding the ways that neoliberalism, as evidenced within Baltimore City school policies, ignores context and community. The state and city merger resulted in the promotion of neoliberalism, which in turn, has imposed school reform on Black communities that promotes deficit-laden approaches to African-American students in these communities. Consequently, student achievement has suffered.
Data Sources
Data sources include analysis of: 1) Baltimore City Public Schools’ policies; 2) outcomes on standardized student testing data for Marshall High School; 3) culture and climate data for Marshall High School.

Results/Conclusions
By focusing on the academic gains and losses at Marshall High School, the presenters will emphasize the ways that the city and state merger resulted in the creation of a neoliberal agenda that has resulted in a de-emphasis on context and community, which, in turn, has contributed towards stagnated learning outcomes for African American students.

Scholarly Significance
This presentation is significant in that it seeks to contribute towards understandings about some of the historical complexities associated with poor academic outcomes for many of the African American students who attend Baltimore City Public Schools, by emphasizing outcomes at Marshall High School.

Authors

• Simone Gibson, Morgan State University

• Thurman L. Bridges, Morgan State University