Are Maryland Families Unaware Of Dangerous Criminals In Public Schools?

UPDATE: Today, the Maryland State Board of Education unanimously voted to adopt policy changes requiring school officials to share certain information from students’ criminal records with one another. The revised policy requires local superintendents to forward information about students charged or convicted of “reportable offenses” — certain serious offenses that happen outside school — to education officials in other school districts when the student transfers between schools. Previously, communication between different school districts was optional. As an emergency policy, it can take effect prior to public comment.

Legislative approval is needed for the regulation to take effect, and the state school board has requested that it start Tuesday and run through April 20, 2025. The state’s Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review can also adjust the dates when the regulation is in effect. – The article on this vote can be found at the Baltimore Sun: Maryland board votes to change policy on students’ criminal records

It’s been a rough first semester in the Maryland Public School system. Three counties, Harford, Howard, and Baltimore were recently in the headlines because of suspected and even convicted juvenile murderers walking the halls with everyday students; students who didn’t know who was in class with them. A rapist had been in Baltimore City Public Schools last year.

Parents and families didn’t know. And it has caused a lot of concern in the public.

The incident in Baltimore City involved a child rapist who was attending Patterson High School after a judge had ordered him to have “no unsupervised contact with children under 15.” Parents found out and a local television affiliate, Fox 45, broke the story. After the report, Maryland legislators acted quickly to prevent that situation from happening again.

Last Fall, an illegal immigrant member of the MS13 gang who had been accused of killing a woman in 2022 was attending a Harford County High School. He had been placed in the home where the woman was killed and then after being designated as a primary suspect, was enrolled in a public school. The placement was done by Child Protective Services. He was convicted in August and is presently in jail.

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