[Current Events/Opinion] Sobering Vs. Education [Written by Shae McCoy]
What is more important in Baltimore City, Drugs or Education?
This is a question that has been answered through the actions that the city has taken against drug addiction vs. the depletion of public school resources. For years, the public school system has been struggling to stay afloat. Teachers have been laid off, schools have been closed down, and some combined together causing congestion. Teachers and students have marched and rallied for change and for funding and it appears that their voices went unheard. It seems that there is money for bigger projects in Baltimore such as new housing, building developments, and now a 24-hour sobering center.
According to CBS Local, Baltimore will receive 2 million dollars for a 24-hour sobering center that will be of aid to drug addicts. Furthermore, 22 million dollars will be distributed throughout Maryland to fight the opioid epidemic, 75 thousand for Naloxone (an opioid overdose reversal drug), and 830 thousand for treatment programs. While drug addiction and abuse are huge problems in Maryland, it appears as if the failure of the Baltimore City public school system is not being tended to or treated as a serious issue. Is the future of our youth less important? Is there not enough money to go around? Why are two of the biggest problems in Baltimore not being treated equally?
On another hand, the two are very connected and have similar issues.
On another note, both issues have a similar fatal flaw, lack of oversight. While Baltimore’s school system gets the lionshare of the states funds earmarked for education, a lot of that money is misused. Audits, internally and externally, have proven that. Then, addiction programs get a lot of state money through contracts and rarely help the amount of people they should bc the money is mishandled.
The bigger issue is making sure money allocated is used properly. Its a shame that it seems almost normal that people abuse their power in high positions.
Then on an almost separate note, while schools are overcrowded, overall enrollment in city schools is down.
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