(BALTIMORE – April 10, 2026) – The proposed closure of Baltimore Collegiate School for Boys shows how Baltimore City Public Schools and the State of Maryland are failing Black boys. This is not just about losing a charter school. It also reflects broader neglect of Black boys’ challenges and weakens the city’s commitment to their future.
In many Baltimore schools, Black boys’ intellectual curiosity fades by third grade while frustrated teachers struggle to keep these students engaged both academically and socially. Baltimore Collegiate School for Boys was founded to support Black boys through academic rigor, role modeling, fostering self-worth, and encouraging them to pursue their dreams that may include higher education.
Baltimore Collegiate School for Boys faces the challenge of serving students with academic deficits and special needs, concerns that are often overlooked elsewhere. While some students are ready for advanced work, many fall behind in math and reading, making it difficult for them to progress. Students also face barriers like navigating unsafe neighborhoods and enduring two-hour bus rides to school. On top of that, poverty and the soft bigotry of low expectations create further obstacles.
As Maryland’s only school specifically for Black boys, Baltimore Collegiate School for Boys addresses the unique academic and social needs of Black boys. The school helps students who previously fell behind to improve and participate. It fosters discipline, engagement, and aspirations for college and careers.
Research shows that numerous Black male students and their families face economic hardship. Work by Harvard Economist Raj Chetty finds that Black boys from low-income Baltimore neighborhoods have some of the nation’s lowest rates of upward mobility. Additionally, studies by Dr. Walter Gilliam from the Yale Child Study Team (Department of Child Psychiatry for Yale School of Medicine), an institute charged with tracking trends among children and families, show that Black boys nationwide are disciplined more frequently in schools, even as early as preschool. This data is vital to understanding these students’ challenges. The Baltimore Collegiate School for Boys, while it may face its challenges, the school emphasizes academic achievement, character development, citizenship, and positive masculinity for a population that has historically fallen victim to poor decision-making and street life.
We strongly urge city and state leaders, educators, and the larger community to keep the Baltimore Collegiate School for Boys open. Young Black males deserve academic environments that foster unconditional love and support.
Drs. David C. Miller and LaMarr D. Shields are educators, authors, and fathers of Black male sons.
