A day after Oprah Winfrey took a jab at Baltimore City Public Schools during a fundraiser at Meyerhoff Symphony Hall for Beth Tfiloh, a private Baltimore County school, the city?s School Board unanimously passed its 2007 budget ? and then threw a counterpunch at the talk show host.
In her appearance Monday, Winfrey derided the city?s dropout rate for black males,which she put at 76 percent. School Board commissioners publicly responded Tuesday, pointing out the Maryland State Department of Education graduation rate for the city is 59 percent overall, and 50 percent for black male students.
“I know what Oprah Winfrey reportedly commented,” said Board Commissioner Anirban Basu. “We need to be the ?Dr. Phil? and counter that with the facts,” referring to the self-help guru and talk show host Phil McGraw.
Basu suggested the city produce a credible databook and make it accessible to the public.
Schools chief Bonnie Copeland said the city?s graduation rate has improved from 42 percent a decade ago and jumped 5 percent last year.
Before trading barbs, the board approved a $1.093 billion budget, an increase of 7 percent from last year.
Much of the emphasis is directed at low-performing school initiatives, set to receive $22 million above base-level funding; at-risk student interventions, targeted with $15.6 million; and the expansion of prekindergarten classes, earmarked for $10.7 million, including $1.5 million in new money.
New Song Academy charter supporters at the hearing said they are being penalized in the budget proposal ? now ready to be sent to the mayor and the City Council ? for being successful. New Song advocates want the city to make up for grant reductions to the school, but board members said the school is scheduled to receive the same base funding as other public schools.
Also on Wednesday, Mayor Martin O?Malley?s office announced it will provide $25 million in new funds for school construction and renovation.
Fiscal 2007, according to school officials, will mark the first time in seven years the public school system will not be operating with a deficit.
