Teachers union and parents fault school-based budgeting, surplusing practices; teacher says theater program cut

Union representatives and school staff urged Baltimore City Public Schools commissioners to overhaul school-based budgeting and surplus procedures, saying the current processes often leave educators and families out of meaningful decision-making and push fine-arts educators out of classrooms.

Christina Evans, speaking for the Baltimore Teachers Union, told the board the budget process is frequently presented to school communities as if it were final rather than a set of options. "In many cases, notice about these meetings is given late," Evans said, adding that surplusing and reassignments have created confusion and that some positions, particularly in fine arts, appear to be replaced by vendors or contractors.

Teacher Robin Bingham of Vanguard Collegiate Middle School described a specific school-level example: her…