Pikesville High School Principal Eric Eiswert remains absent from the school building as Baltimore County police and district leaders investigate an audio recording alleged to capture him making antisemitic and racist comments about students.
The recording surfaced on Instagram two weeks ago on the popular account @murder_ink_bmore, drawing immediate attention from the 230,000 followers.
“Between these ungrateful Black kids who can’t test their way out of a paper bag, or these teachers who don’t get it, how hard is it to get these students to meet their grade level expectations?” the voice in the recording says. “And if I have to get one more complaint from one more Jew in this community, I’m going to join the other side.”
The voice also criticizes staff at the high school, saying he will “drag” one Black employee out of the building “one way or another.”
In a press conference Tuesday morning, Baltimore County Superintendent Myriam Rogers said she can not confirm the validity of the recording, which some say is AI-generated, at this time.
“We're committed to a thorough investigation and a swift investigation, but we don't want to rush to judgment,” she said. “We need to let the experts do their work.”
But some Pikesville students and former colleagues of Eiswert told The Baltimore Banner last week that they would not be surprised if the recording is real.
DeRay Mckesson, executive director of criminal justice nonprofit Campaign Zero, posted on X that Eiswert was his social studies teacher at Catonsville High School.
“I am in no way surprised by his comments in this recording,” Mckesson wrote. “He should be fired immediately and his Maryland teaching and administrator licenses should be permanently revoked.”
Rogers said that the district will provide more details as soon as they can “without compromising the progress of the investigation.”
In the meantime, two district officials – Kyria Joseph, executive director for high schools, and George Roberts, consulting administrator – have taken over leadership at Pikesville High, she said.
The district has also provided increased counseling and mental health services for students and staff as the investigation continues.
“This has been a very difficult time for the Pikesville High School community,” Rogers said. “The statements on the recording do not reflect the core values of our school system. We welcome the rich diversity that exists throughout team BCPS.”
Rogers encourages students to speak with trusted adults about any emotions and questions popping up during the investigation.
“I would encourage them to have those conversations with counselors, with teachers and other staff that they've made positive connections with, so that they are not internalizing those feelings,” she said.
