The teachers care about their students.

Washington Examiner reports.

How one charter school is trying to revive west Baltimore

BALTIMORE, Md. — Respect for youth is in short supply in west Baltimore, where students rioted in April over the death of Freddie Gray and racial discrimination. So it was notable when a middle schooler in west Baltimore named Diamond stood up and told Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., why she likes her school.

“I feel respected,” Diamond told Cummings. “I’m excited because the teachers care about us.”

Her school is the Green Street Academy, a public charter school that opened its doors to a new building this month. The school is using its independence and flexibility as a charter school to meet students’ unique needs, with an interesting focus: environmental sustainability. Green Street says its curriculum is “sustainability-infused” and “workforce-oriented.”

The school moved to be closer to its students in west Baltimore, not afraid of the challenges that come with educating students from challenging backgrounds. For every 100 students in the school, 96 are eligible for free or reduced-price meals. For a family of three, that implies an income of less than $37,000 a year. Nearly every student at the school comes from a family in those circumstances.