Baltimore Violence Prompts Halt To School Trips

After Baltimore reached another grim milestone of violence, Maryland’s Carroll County school officials on Monday temporarily suspended field trips to the city, citing “escalating violence,” The Baltimore Sun reported.

“In light of recent violence in the traditional tourist areas of the city, the sheriff agrees that the best course of action is to temporarily suspend travel to Baltimore City venues,” a Carroll County Sheriff’s Office spokesman said.

A Maryland school district has decided to stop planned field trips to Baltimore following "escalating violence" in the city. https://t.co/MsVQA58eM5

— WJZ | CBS Baltimore (@cbsbaltimore) November 27, 2017

The announcement followed a Baltimore police report on Nov. 2 that said the city exceeded 300 homicides for 2017—making this the third consecutive year that Baltimore reached that mark. What’s more, the city averaged one homicide per day in October. Prior to this three-year surge in violence, Baltimore had not seen 300 homicides in a calendar year since 1999 when the death toll reached 344. Mayor Catherine E. Pugh described her city’s violence as “out of control,” The Sun said. She’s “disappointed” Carroll County’s school officials suspended trips to Baltimore, adding that she hopes they “reconsider” their decision.

Carroll County Sheriff James T. DeWees recommended the suspension to school officials after parents told his office that they have fears about student safety on trips to Baltimore. Pointing to the sheriff’s recommendation, a Carroll County Schools spokeswoman said the school district will reconsider the travel suspension in late January. However, school officials will consider trips to the city on a case-by-case basis, she added. At least two major visits have been cancelled: a third-grade class’ field trip to the Maryland Science Center and a high school’s band appearance for a Christmas parade.

SOURCE: Baltimore Sun

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