Overview
- Students left class and rallied on campus before joining parents and teachers to press the Howard County Board of Education during public comment.
- The board in November voted 6-1 to drop Oakland Mills from the top of the fiscal 2027 locally funded list, shifting priority to more numerous smaller projects.
- Oakland Mills administrators praised the student action but said participants will receive unexcused absences because the walkout was not approved due to scheduling conflicts.
- Teachers and students described persistent hazards in the 1973 building, including reported lead in water, asbestos in HVAC units, mold, black residue in a studio, and limited working bathrooms.
- Officials said any reshuffling may be revisited after the state budget returns in January, though full funding for the current list is uncertain, and community members plan a formal capital request to County Executive Calvin Ball.