Maryland education leaders are committed to improving communication to keep students safe

Baltimore (WBFF) – State education leaders say they are making every effort to improve communication channels to keep children safe at school.

This came after a Project Baltimore investigation found that Walter Martinez, an MS-13 gang member and now convicted murderer, attended two public schools in Maryland and no one at those schools knew about it.

For over a month, Fox45 News has been trying to speak with Maryland Department of Human Services Secretary Rafael Lopez. DHS oversees the state’s foster care system. As part of the Baltimore Project, we would like to ask Lopez about the lack of communication that allowed Martinez to attend Lansdowne High School in Baltimore County and then Edgewood High School in Harford County in late 2022.

The Baltimore Project went to the DHS central office, left voicemails, and wrote emails to its communications team. We even asked the secretary for a calendar of public events to try to talk to him. Nothing. Almost two weeks have passed with no response. So the Baltimore Project went to the Secretary’s home in Washington and knocked on the door.

Last month, Fox45 News reported that after Martinez killed Kayla Hamilton in July 2022 in Harford County, the then-16-year-old was placed in the foster care of Child Protective Services under DHS. Martinez remained in foster care while police awaited the results of a DNA test. Although Aberdeen police told CPS Martinez was dangerous, he was placed in two foster homes and enrolled in two public schools in Maryland.

In August, Martinez was found guilty of murder and sentenced to 70 years in prison. However, thousands of students in Baltimore and Harford counties were involved with a dangerous gang member and murder suspect, but they had no idea. School officials said they didn’t know either because DHS didn’t tell them.

Because Secretary Lopez had not yet provided an explanation as to why the schools had not been notified, the Baltimore Project interviewed Maryland State Schools Superintendent Dr. Carey Wright and Maryland State Board of Education Chairman Dr. Joshua Michael.

“Do you have concerns about public safety in schools,” asked Chris Papst of Project Baltimore.

“I think safety is always a concern,” Dr. Wright replied. “As a director. As superintendent. The first thing is to make sure all the children are safe and healthy.”

The Baltimore Project asked Dr. Wright whether she thought Baltimore and Harford County schools should have been informed of Martinez’s violent history when he enrolled.

“You have superiors who ask you to provide them with this type of information. They could have made a very different decision about school location than a public high school. They could have gone to a different school or something like that,” Wright explained.

“What is your message to parents who didn’t know who their children were sitting next to in class?” Papst asked State School Board Chairman Dr. Michael.

“We must do better to ensure that our teachers, who keep our students safe at school, have all the information they need to provide a safe learning environment. We as a board and as a department of state are committed to ensuring these communication channels improve,” Michael told Project Baltimore.

At Lopez’s house – nothing. When we knocked, no one answered the door. The Baltimore Project left a card asking Secretary Lopez to “please call.”

Later that day, a DHS spokesperson called and said Secretary Lopez would report for an interview in the coming weeks.