Oakland Mills High students leave school early to protest deferred renovations

Many Oakland Mills High School students staged a walkout Thursday, protesting the Howard County Board of Education's decision to defer renovations.

The protest was part of an ongoing effort by the school's community to make their voices heard.

Aside from the walkout, students, families, and teachers also protested outside of the Howard County Public School System's (HCPSS) central office in Ellicott City. They also testified at the board's meeting.

In a statement, the OMHS administrative team spoke highly of the students' walkout, saying, "Their efforts, and the way in which they proceeded, are something we wholeheartedly support and commend."

However, students who participated will be marked with an unexcused absence, as it was an unapproved walkout.

It wasn't approved due to scheduling conflicts with students who attend classes at the Applied Research Lab, Howard Community College, and those who attend digital education classes.

Demanding a reprioritization

Before the final bell rang, crowds of Oakland Mills High students walked out to their football field, calling for renovations at their school.

It's a fight that's been going on for years.

"It was 2009 when they deemed that the school was not conducive to learning, that was the year my junior was born," said OMHS parent Lena Kennedy. "To think we've been fighting this fight since she was an infant is incredibly frustrating."

Kennedy, as well as parents Jessica Mahajan and Rashida George, stood by the walkout to ensure students were safe.

"It makes you pay attention to the fact that nothing has happened, so something has to be done," George said. "There has to be some sort of action, and here we are."

Last month, the Board of Education approved an updated list of locally funded projects under the fiscal year 2027 capital budget.

It put renovations for Oakland Mills High from the top of the list to a much lower spot, while also putting projects for other schools ahead.

The board voted on an updated facilities prioritization list from HCPSS staff.

The board has discussed possibly reprioritizing projects when it gets the budget back from the state in January. Board member Jacky McCoy expressed regret in voting to approve the proposed list at the board's Nov. 20 meeting. 

But, since the budget uses things like Built to Learn funds, it makes the window to being able to re-discuss priorities small, according to school district staff and HCPSS superintendent Bill Barnes.

School district staff also has said it's hard to say if the current list would be fully funded.

Families hope change can happen, but optimism is dimming.

"I would love to continue being hopeful, but it has been several years, decades for people who were here before us. It's just very frustrating that we've gotten to the last minute on money that has to be claimed now," Mahajan said.

A formal capital budget request will be sent to Howard County Executive Calvin Ball's office in a few months.