After a six-week journey walking from New York City, I reached Baltimore as part of my “Walk Across America.” The city strikes me as a blend of extremes. On one hand, there’s the vibrant Inner Harbor full of shops and eateries. On the other, you see the stark contrast of the Sandtown Winchester rowhouses and public housing towers in East Baltimore.
Here, I recognize a familiar sense of despair—much like what I’ve witnessed on the South Side of Chicago. Families seem trapped in a system that benefits from their suffering. As I walked the streets, it became evident that there’s a shift happening, where some are climbing the social ladder while others remain stuck. There’s an abundance of grants, programs, and press conferences, yet I questioned whether any real change is taking place.
When a system thrives on its failures, one wonders who truly supports those entangled in it. This reflects the workings of what many call the poverty-industrial complex, which surely needs to be dismantled so that people can find genuine opportunities.
The stats are disheartening. U.S. Census data indicates Baltimore’s poverty rate will remain around 20.2% in 2023—far higher than Maryland’s 9.5%. It’s only slightly down from 24.3% in 2010, and last year, 28% of children aged 6 to 17 were living in poverty.
Nevertheless, funding continues to flow into the city.
Mackenzie Scott has provided $10 million to five nonprofits. The Baltimore Foundation for Children and Youth manages between $15 million and $20 million annually, redistributing funds to over 100 organizations. The Goldseeker Foundation contributed around $10 million to $15 million last year, while the Harry and Janet Weinberg Foundation donates up to $10 million annually to various nonprofits helping low-income families. Meanwhile, the Abel Foundation is issuing small grants of up to $10,000, and the Baltimore Community Foundation offers $3 million in scholarships each year.
And this doesn’t even include a significant portion of government funding—from Medicaid to HUD—driven by the city’s high poverty levels.
But where’s the outcome? Back in 2018, auditors revealed that city officials had overspent millions, prompting anti-poverty groups to repay $3.7 million to HUD due to poor tracking of funds. Time Organization, Inc., Maryland’s largest nonprofit for mental health and homeless services, faces an investigation over financial misconduct in 2025. It seems that a lot of this anti-poverty funding inflates overhead costs, leaving only a small portion to actually benefit those in need.
I’ve faced similar challenges in Chicago, and I’ve observed effective solutions. It’s not about magic; vocational training can lead to real careers, while faith-based leadership promotes dignity rather than dependence. Right now, much of the financial resources are misallocated.
If poverty acts as a trap, Baltimore’s schools seem to reinforce that trap. There’s talk about a broken system, but I’d argue it’s more deliberate; the educational struggles here appear to be by design. I stood outside a poorly rated school and joined parents in prayer, who seemed desperate for options.
Our children are not just data points on an analytical chart. They are individuals missing out on their rightful education as American citizens.
We need fresh leadership that empowers families to choose the best educational paths for their children. Only quality schools should exist.
The statistics are grim: Baltimore City’s math proficiency on the 2025 MCAP test was a mere 12.6%, despite rising from 10.2% in 2024. That places it as one of the lowest scores in Maryland, with the average statewide figure hitting 26.5%. Fourth graders scored an average of 209 on the NAEP math test, a slight increase from 201 in 2022 but down significantly from 222 in 2009.
Things aren’t getting better, either: 23 city high schools, nearly three-quarters, reported no students achieving math proficiency. At Patterson High School, 77% of students read at only an elementary level, with 71% performing at a kindergarten level in math. Starting from 2022, Maryland’s $2 billion Blueprint for the Future plan aims to boost K-12 funding to $14.3 billion—a 16% increase—despite only a 1% rise in graduation costs. Baltimore City is spending more than $21,000 per student, but outcomes remain disappointing.
Teachers’ unions and other entities have a strong hold over schools. Yet, there’s a flicker of hope through school choice. The BOOST program in Maryland aims to allocate $9 million in aid to 3,000 low-income students in the 2024-2025 school year, allowing them to attend responsible charter or private institutions. Baltimore is home to 31 of the state’s 49 charter schools, showing promising attendance and test scores. Nationwide, similar programs have reportedly boosted reading and math performance among disadvantaged students by 10% to 20% by introducing competition.
But, as I mentioned, the existing system seems intent on perpetuating failure. Maryland’s governor attempted to repeal BOOST in 2023, though lawmakers narrowly stopped that from happening.
The struggles persist. The Right to Learn Act, designed to assist children in failing schools—who represent about 60% of Baltimore’s student body—has yet to gain traction, stifled by those who benefit from its shortcomings. Interestingly, 74% of Maryland residents support school choice.
During my walk, I encountered more families pleading for alternatives, expressing, “Pastor, please give us a choice.” It’s clearly not about wanting underperforming institutions.
We must blend choices and societal values to address poverty and transform education. The first step? Dismantling the systems that perpetuate poverty to unlock real opportunities.
Our children aren’t mere statistics. They deserve their rightful education.
What I’m suggesting isn’t a mirage, but reflects core American values. We already know what measures have worked elsewhere, and they can work here too. All we need is to eliminate the barriers to those values, restoring merit, faith, and opportunity in our cities.
That’s how we can revitalize the American dream.
