WASHINGTON – Ajmel Quereshi is a law professor and co-director of the Human and Civil Rights Clinic at the Howard University School of Law, where he leads the clinic’s work to advocate on behalf of African Americans across the country, and in the DMV area. According to Quereshi, the Human and Civil Rights Clinic has been working to advocate for high school students in Maryland, and their families who are required to pay for summer school – an issue he says is against the law and exacerbates educational inequities.

“Article eight of the Maryland Constitution provides that schools should be free,” said Quershi. “There is no reason to think that should not apply to courses required for an individual to graduate.”

According to Quereshi, because of this provision, students in some Maryland schools who don’t pass a required course during the regular school year have to pay to take that course in the summer or they face being held back. This has long been an issue for students whose families cannot afford to pay for summer courses. Since the coronavirus pandemic started, many students are dealing with the reality that schools may not reconvene in-person until 2021. This transition has caused challenges for most students, but some students will be especially vulnerable.

“Approximately 20 percent of students do not have internet access [at home]. Those students are not going to be able to take part in the same kind of online learning that other students who do have internet access are going to be able to do. There will be an increased need for summer school or other types of remedial education once school actually starts again,” he says.

Quereshi says the coronavirus pandemic demonstrates why it is so important to make summer school available to all students and to address the issue of education equity.

“I think the COVID-19 pandemic has pointed out that often there are things that affect a child’s ability to complete their education that are well beyond their control,” says Quereshi. “The [school] closures the pandemic has caused is affecting students all over the state of Maryland and all over the world.”

Quereshi says that even though the pandemic is temporary, every year students face barriers to completing their education that are beyond their control. Ultimately, he says students and their families should not have to choose between putting food on the table and having the chance to retake required courses during the summer.

Watch the full video here to learn more.

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About Howard University

Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Students pursue studies in more than 120 areas leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced one Schwarzman Scholar, three Marshall Scholars, four Rhodes Scholars, 11 Truman Scholars, 25 Pickering Fellows and more than 70 Fulbright Scholars. Howard also produces more on-campus African-American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more information on Howard University, visit www.howard.edu.

Media Contact: Misha Cornelius, misha.cornelius@howard.edu