So what is life like at a high school boasting a 63 percent non-white population (48 percent black, 36 percent white)?
In 2023 & 2024, Maryland Democrats have passed laws preventing enforcement against crime and disruption in schools, and preventing prosecution of juvenile criminals.
— Maryland Republican Party (@MDGOP) April 18, 2024
Allowing incidents like this is a policy choice.https://t.co/UTmXEwPFV8
As one white teacher stated, after continuous fights involving black students, a place where teachers are scared.
Baltimore County teacher ‘scared’ to be in school, violence taking a toll, Fox Baltimore, April 17, 2024
Towson, Md. (WBFF) — A Baltimore County teacher says Loch Raven High School is at a breaking point following a string of recent violent brawls caught on camera.
Project Baltimore spoke with Steven Kronberg, a teacher at Loch Raven High School, who was injured in one of the recent incidents.
“There are students who walk around school, and they don’t feel comfortable, they don’t feel safe,” explained Kronberg. “I would say scared.”
“Are there teachers that are scared?” Asked [sic] Project Baltimore’s Chris Papst.
“Absolutely,” replied Kronberg.
For 24 years, Kronberg has taught high school social studies.
“I never thought when I became a teacher that it was possible for me to be in such an environment,” said Kronberg. “I didn’t know it existed.”
Twelve of those years, he’s spent at Loch Raven High School in Baltimore County where he says student violence is out of control.
“Something has to be done,” explained Kronberg.
Every few days, Kronberg says, there’s a major fight at the school.
On the morning of April 9th, a massive brawl broke out in the classroom next to Kronberg’s. When he heard the screaming, he ran over to help.
“It’s a natural instinct to help kids that are being harmed,” said Kronberg.
Upwards of eight students, maybe more, were involved. It was pure chaos, and Kronberg was right in the middle of it.
“I’m trying to get kids to separate from one another,” said Kronberg. “Unsuccessfully, I should add.”
As the fight intensified, Kronberg fell to the floor. For 16 seconds, the students remained on top of him, fighting each other. He was helpless.
“I remember being on the floor looking up and the fight was still going on,” Kronberg told Project Baltimore.
The fight, according to Kronberg, was the third major fight last week at Loch Raven High School. Project Baltimore obtained video of all three incidents. One of the fights occurred in the school’s main office. In the video, the school’s assistant principal is seen slamming into the front desk and falling to the ground. Kronberg said a third fight took place in a hallway with two girls violently attacking each other.
“The students who come to school to get an education, they’re the biggest victims here because they’re not getting it,” Kronberg told Project Baltimore. “And the students that are taking away that right from them, there has to be another placement where they can get their right to an education but without disrupting everybody else.”
Over the last ten school years, according to state data, Loch Raven’s suspensions and expulsions have steadily increased. In 2014, the school had just 39 suspensions and expulsions. By 2022, the number skyrocketed to 231. Last school year, there were 184.
“It’s incredibly disruptive,” said Kronberg.
Some students at Loch Raven High School are struggling. Last school year, 272 students took the state math exam. The state redacted the data, because so few students scored proficient. The results show that 5% or fewer students scored proficient. That means, 95 percent or more of the students at Loch Raven who took the test were not proficient in math.
Kronberg told Project Baltimore there is a solution to this problem. He says violent students have to be removed from the school and enrolled in alternative education, such as virtual learning or home schooling. The students involved in the fights, according to Kronberg, will likely be suspended for a few days and come right back to school. But when that happens, he says he won’t be there.
“I’m going to take some time off and try to take care of myself,” said Kronberg.
He tells Project Baltimore that if he has a choice he never wants to go back there.
Daycare centers for teens. That’s all this story represents, with white teachers little more than glorified jail keepers for a population incapable of scholastic work. This article represents a window into a world responsible white parents try and ensure their white children never encounter, but unfortunately, in a nation running out of white kids, such opportunities are becoming perilously small.
