The question of where to build a new high school is reigniting feuding between the Baltimore County Council and the school system.
Fifth District Republican Councilman David Marks said school officials are ignoring a request from the county council to consider a site at a former quarry in Middle River that is being proposed for development.
“For me, it’s galling that they have not even looked at this site,” Marks said.
“The county council is the funding authority for Baltimore County,” Marks said. “We ultimately appropriate money. And I just don’t understand why the school system ignores legitimate requests from multiple members of the county council.”
Charles Herndon, a spokesman for the county school system, declined to comment,
Officials have long called for a new high school in the fast-growing northeast part of the county.
On Tuesday, the school board will consider a proposed list of capital projects which includes replacing Loch Raven High School with a bigger building that can handle more students to help alleviate the overcrowding.
A Northeast High School study for the school system by Samara Associates and MK Consulting Engineers considered five options for easing the overcrowding. It recommended building a new Loch Raven.
The Middle River site Marks wants considered is not among the options.
“I know this is going to be expensive,” Marks said. “I know we have a new Dulaney High School and a new Towson High School in the budget. All I’m saying is that they should at least look at this other site.”
In a statement, Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski appeared skeptical about the idea of building a new Loch Raven High School.
“We will carefully consider the initial study in the context of the minimal amount of community participation and amid the fiscal realities of our existing long-term, multibillion dollar roadmap to improve every school and address overcrowding throughout Baltimore County,” Olszewski said.
A 2021 consultant’s report came up with a $4.7 billion plan for renovating and replacing Baltimore County’s schools. It called for Loch Raven High to be renovated, not replaced.
Read more (and listen) at WYPR.
