Columbia Child Care Center Closes Leaving Parents Upset

COLUMBIA, MD — Parents have expressed concerns about the closure of Howard Community College's Children's Learning Center, leaving an unfilled void in local child care services available during a global pandemic.

While the center has been closed since March 13 due to the coronavirus, parents expected it to reopen this fall. They received a letter July 31 notifying them of the closure.

“It was an unbelievably difficult decision to close the Children’s Learning Center,” Elizabeth S. Homan, spokesperson for Howard Community College, told the Baltimore Sun. “While this decision was made only after much careful consideration, we know it was unexpected, and we regret the challenges that families and center staff now face.”

Parent Patrick Thronson, a Columbia resident whose two children were enrolled at the preschool, said the decision was made without any input from the parents. He paid $2,800 per month for them to attend.

“[The closure came] apparently without any efforts to work collaboratively with students, staff, and the community to develop solutions to keep it open," he said.

Homan said the “unprecedented nature of the coronavirus pandemic” prompted the college “to critically examine” its operations and expenses.

“The college is facing budget challenges as a result of funding reductions, long-term financial impacts, and ongoing concerns about the health and safety of all students, faculty, and staff during a pandemic,” Homan told the Baltimore Sun. “Over the years, the use of the center by students steadily decreased, and as of the closing, only 20 of the 86 children in the center had parents who are Howard Community College students."