Baltimore Teachers Union tells board building conditions, harassment and transfer process harm staff

Sherry Brown, on an external assignment with the Baltimore Teachers Union as a PSRP member engagement specialist, told the Baltimore City Public Schools board on March 25 that staff are facing unsafe and unworkable conditions in district buildings and that personnel processes are harming employees.

"Baltimore City has spent millions of dollars to upgrade and renovate our school buildings, yet we have buildings where students still cannot drink from water fountains," Brown said. She described repeated elevator failures, ongoing rodent and roach infestations, heat tickets closed without resolution, and elevators she said lacked inspection stickers.

Brown also told the board that some staff face what she described as administrative bullying and harassment. "It seems time and time again, the district is quick to remove staff, but drags their feet in addressing bullying and harassment by administrators who are creating a toxic work environment," she said, adding that she had permission to recount a specific member case in which an office assistant was terminated after medical leave absences.

Brown criticized the district's handling of the voluntary transfer process for employees, saying the transfer window "opened March and will close on May" and that members were told vacancies would be available only after budgets are finalized. "This is unacceptable," she said, noting a stated application deadline of April 18 in communications she had received.

Why it matters: Brown linked building-safety and workplace culture to the district's ability to retain staff and provide stable services to students. She urged the board to address inspections, pest control, clearer timelines for transfers, and timely implementation of step increases and other compensation corrections.

Board response and context: Board members did not debate or vote on the issues Brown raised during public comment; they moved on to the agenda. Brown urged further investigation and follow-up, and said members could contact the special education department or meet her at a scheduled May 12 session for assistance completing a parent involvement survey for children receiving specialized services.

The transcript records no immediate district commitment or timeline for corrective action during the March 25 meeting. The concerns Brown raised — facilities maintenance, pest control, elevator safety, personnel harassment investigations, the timing of the transfer window and budget alignment — were recorded as public comment to be considered by the board and staff.

Ending: Brown concluded by asking the board to "make it make sense" about how budget and staffing timelines overlap, and to pursue remedies for staff who report harassment or unsafe conditions. The board proceeded with its agenda following the public-comment period.