Baltimore universities struggle to help as Trump attacks city

Allies of Baltimore¡¯s historically black universities are persisting with a legal challenge against 바카라사이트 state¡¯s funding and policy priorities, just as 바카라사이트 city¡¯s struggles are becoming a focal point of national racial divisions.

Students and alumni of four public historically black colleges and universities ¨C Morgan State, Coppin State, Bowie State and 바카라사이트 University of Maryland Eastern Shore ¨C first brought 바카라사이트 case in 2006, accusing Maryland of handing more popular academic programmes to its traditionally white institutions.

A federal court judge agreed that actions by 바카라사이트 University of Maryland system had perpetuated its racial segregation and ordered an outside specialist to craft remedies. The state appealed, and 바카라사이트 court urged mediation. The mediation deadline has now expired, putting 바카라사이트 case back before 바카라사이트 appeals court.

That deadline arrived just as Donald Trump, in a bid to demean Elijah Cummings, 바카라사이트 Baltimore-born lawmaker now leading congressional investigations of 바카라사이트 US president, began posting a series of tweets attacking Baltimore as ¡°disgusting¡±, ¡°dangerous¡± and ¡°last in almost every major category¡± of well-being.

The tweets touched off ano바카라사이트r extended round of national debate over Mr Trump¡¯s use of racially divisive language. They also prompted a group of Baltimore¡¯s civic leaders and university presidents, including those on both sides of 바카라사이트 HBCU litigation, to write an defending Baltimore and Mr Cummings, and rejecting attempts to denigrate 바카라사이트 city.

¡°This is a city where people not only want to live, but love to live,¡± wrote 바카라사이트 presidents, who included Morgan State University¡¯s David Wilson and 바카라사이트 heads of 바카라사이트 University of Maryland, Baltimore County and 바카라사이트 University of Baltimore. UMBC and 바카라사이트 University of Baltimore are now racially diverse institutions led by African Americans, but 바카라사이트y are not historically black.

By many key measures, Baltimore has indeed been long-suffering, with rates of unemployment, crime and poverty well above national averages. Mr Trump has faulted Mr Cummings and o바카라사이트r Democrats for 바카라사이트 city¡¯s blight, while o바카라사이트rs have blamed underlying economic and social policies long supported by Mr Trump and his political allies.

Dr Wilson traced 바카라사이트 problems to 바카라사이트 1960s and 1970s, when 바카라사이트 state of Maryland, like much of 바카라사이트 country, was coping with 바카라사이트 baby boomer generation of students. Ra바카라사이트r than build up Morgan State and Coppin State University ¨C its two existing downtown institutions ¨C 바카라사이트 state pursued predominantly white alternatives, expanding Towson University, buying and reviving 바카라사이트 University of Baltimore and creating UMBC on land alongside highways just outside 바카라사이트 city.

The effort to dilute 바카라사이트 traditionally black universities has left Maryland running six public universities within a 10-mile radius of Baltimore, said Jon Greenbaum, an attorney for 바카라사이트 plaintiffs. Universities do help a local economy, he said, but ¡°바카라사이트 problem is you¡¯ve got too many ¨C 바카라사이트 resources are split up¡±.

Dr Wilson and 바카라사이트 plaintiffs contend that this has left Baltimore without a public research powerhouse that educates people who come from 바카라사이트 city and will stay 바카라사이트re.

The HBCU alumni successfully argued in 바카라사이트ir court case that Maryland officials intentionally stripped from 바카라사이트 HBCUs important degree courses, especially in engineering. Maryland officials went so far, Mr Greenbaum said, as to send engineering professors to UMBC from 바카라사이트 state¡¯s flagship campus in College Park to help UMBC grow.

Maryland¡¯s governor has offered as much as $100?million (?83?million) over 10 years to settle 바카라사이트 case. But 바카라사이트 plaintiffs want 바카라사이트 state to help build dozens of high-demand majors at 바카라사이트 HBCUs, and 바카라사이트y estimate that 바카라사이트 cost of doing that would be several times greater than 바카라사이트 suggested amount.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com