2008.11.18
Nobody wins when schools close
Six months after the Roanoke School Board voted to close Forest Park Elementary School, the issue still isn't over.
With any luck, it will be soon.
The closing of the school on Melrose Avenue Northwest has been a dysfunctional exercise in school-community relations that must not be repeated as Roanoke confronts declining enrollment and underused buildings.
It's very possible that more schools will close, and that school attendance boundaries will change. Parents of elementary children who fear being caught by surprise should arm themselves now with information.
"They need to pay attention to what is happening," said Theresa Gill-Walker.
"I don't know if people are passive or they think it's not going to happen," said Gill-Walker, who fought to save Forest Park and give parents greater choices.
The Roanoke woman was in court Monday afternoon to support Forest Park parents who sought legal intervention in the controversial school closing.
The two plaintiffs, Levita Washington and Nathaniel Craig, accused Superintendent Rita Bishop of failing to provide them with enough choices of where to send their children. A judge ruled against them but gave them 21 days to refile.
The onus isn't solely on the parents in what certainly will be an emotional issue. School officials have an obligation to keep the community informed because school consolidation has real effects on real people and their lives.
"I'm very sympathetic with concerns about change that involve children," school board Chairman David Carson said after Monday's hearing. He said school officials are committed to sharing with parents "what we're doing, why we're doing it and how we're going about doing it."
This issue is far from over.
To their credit, school officials are diligently trying to put information before the public. The board had two meetings last week.
Under consideration will be attendance zones, busing and buildings. And those have the potential to affect many more families than merely those at schools that might be closed.
Right now, 14 of Roanoke's 20 elementary schools have fewer than 350 students -- the minimum number the school board is aiming for. Only one has more than 550 students, the maximum number.
Any plans will affect all segments of the city, and every parent should pay close attention. If their school isn't one that could be closed, it may be one that takes on students from a school that is closed.
Mark my words: Somewhere, class sizes will increase and classroom noise levels will grow. That has the potential to affect your child, and you.
It's uncomfortable, but necessary. There are no absolute wrongs or absolute rights in controversies like these. Nobody wins.
I appreciate your coverage on Forest Park however, I am disappointed in the ruling given by the judge. It seems that our judicial system has set a law in place, however if any school system wants to negate their responsibilities based on this law, all they have to do is close a school. That's ridiculous! No school system should be able to close a school to avoid their responsibilities based on No Child Left Behind. It sad to see that the school board is taking great depths to 'Not' adhere to the law and teach our children based on the law. I mean, what are they in those seats for? Their job IS to teach our children and they choose not to because they don't want the responsibility? I mean is that what we want to teach our children? To avoid responsibility, just do something to avoid it. We need new people in office that are going to do what's right by our children, not what's best for them. It's time for change.
Comment by Forest Park Parent — November 18, 2008 @ 1:50 pm
... and when I say..'what's best for them', I mean what's best for the school board by avoiding their responsibility to the children.
Comment by Forest Park Parent — November 18, 2008 @ 1:52 pm
thanks for writing about this issue. the elementary schools are, have the potential to be, so linked to the vitality of a community -- that is why what happened to Forest Park is so tragic.
Comment by sz — November 18, 2008 @ 3:07 pm
The SCHOOL BOARD is avoiding responsibility? Please! They have tried desperately to help the students in this school. Let me ask you a question- do you recall how many children participated in the spring program at Forest Park last year? Do you recall how many parents and adults attended? It was pitiful. There were less than ten people in attendance, and that included Rita Bishop and school board members. You're right- it IS time for a change...a time for parents to change and accept their responsibility in raising their children. Get them to bed on time, read to them, see that their homework is done, place an importance on education, go to school conferences and get involved in their school. Don't put them on the bus and say it's someone else's job. It's your job, too. If the people who fought this closing had worked as hard at helping Forest Park succeed- tutoring, mentoring, being involved, then the school wouldn't have failed. People pack everything off on the school system- they're supposed to pick our children up, feed them twice a day, educate them, teach them to behave and transport them back home for free. When I went to school, all the school had to do was teach me my academics. My parents did all of the other stuff- that's what parents are supposed to do. If you're not willing or can't provide those things, don't have a child! I'm so tired of the whining over this. Take all that energy and put it to good use helping your children succeed in their new school. Forest Park is a dead issue.
Comment by Working Mom — November 18, 2008 @ 3:26 pm
Any parent that sends their children to Roanoke City Schools if they have ANY other choice at all should be charged with child abuse. Because that's exactly what it is. I feel so VERY sorry for any little child in a Roanoke City School.
Comment by Percy Kution — November 19, 2008 @ 6:44 pm
Percy-
Why? This is a great example of getting out what you put in. My children and many others are thriving in the RCPS. But it's because they go to school rested, fed, prepared and motivated. No school system will succeed if those things don't exist.
Comment by Working Mom — November 20, 2008 @ 6:58 pm
Working Mom: I want to assure you I meant NO disrespect to you or any parent or their children in RCPS. I was an elementary teacher in RCPS for 4 years. I've seen children like you describe yours in RCPS. Those were the ones that kept me there instead of leaving after the first year. I also taught in another VA locality, and several years in NC public schools. And from that experience, I KNOW that RCPS is the bottom of the pile. Uncle Wayne Harris RUINED RCPS. Little Marvin Thompson was a bad joke. If there had been a vote among the teachers as to Rita Bishop coming back, she wouldn't have had a chance. The worst incidents of violence go unreported. The incidents that are reported are "scaled down". There are drugs,guns,thefts, and assaults on teachers in RCPS you never hear about. And one of the most telling things as to the atmosphere in RCPS is the number of Roanoke City teachers that send their OWN children to one of the private schools in the Valley or to the surrounding counties! That one fact right there says it all. And again, I surely meant NO disrespect to you or your children. If more mothers sent their little ones to school "rested, fed, prepared and motivated" as you say yours are, 99% of the problem would be solved. But that's NOT going to happen in Roanoke City. I still feel sorry for those little kids.
Comment by Percy Kution — November 20, 2008 @ 10:07 pm
Percy-
I've got your back on the job teachers face. We have two teachers in our immediate family and their job gets tougher every year. They are both incredible teachers that we would all love for our children to be with in the classroom, but they are beaten down on a daily basis by the incredible lack of support from parents. The administrative duties are only getting more intense with tracking each tiny little detail and being scrutinized for a child's lack of progress. Add in the endless meetings and seminars and it's exausting to teachers. I applaud every single one of them who can get out of bed every day and report to work with a positive attitude. And I agree with you, Harris and Thompson were awful. I am still hopeful for Mrs. Bishop- we'll see what happens there as time goes by. You are absolutely right that things go unreported. No one wants those things on their record, so they get swept under the rug. I am sorry for teachers that the backing goes to supporting the child rather than supporting the teacher (in a discipline issue or assault.) We need more options as far as getting disruptive and abusive students out of a teacher's classroom and into a different program.
Comment by Working Mom — November 21, 2008 @ 8:25 am
Working Mom: THANK YOU. As I said before, if there were more Moms like you, 99% of the problems would be gone. Keep doing what you're doing and YOUR children will hopefully be fine.
Comment by Percy Kution — November 21, 2008 @ 1:15 pm
Shanna:
I wanted to take the time to thank you for bringing attention to how the black churches in Roanoke have seemingly turned their backs on the youth in this City. I am a product of Roanoke City Schools and a product of one of the biggest black churches in the Valley. When I was coming up, I received a lot of support from my pastor, members in my church, my mother, my mother's friends and people in the community to get my education. Not only did they just talk to me about my education, they were proactively involved and made certain I did the right things and made the right choices in hopes of having a good life. These people were great role models. Unfortunately, many of these wonderful role models have passes on, along with my mother. But, I shall never forget the life lesson they gave to me and I aspire to pass these lessons on to my son. However, today we live in different times. People no longer get involved with the youth in the community. They no longer take the time to talk to the youth and give good constructive advise. Instead they(the youth)get labeled and draw contempt from many people. In my opinion, the youth sense this rejection and feel that no one cares for them. This in turn brings on the zero concern the youth display for school. Running with the wrong crowd, wearing the latest fashions. Having the latest video game, singing the latest song. Being able to dance the latest dance and more importantly seeing how promiscuous and disrespectful they can be. Which is a code of honor for them. This is all together wrong. This is certainly not how it was when I was coming up and my church certainly did not turn their back on me as a youth. However, as I stated, we are living in different times and all the church does these days is see how much money they can collect on Sunday's and haggle you to see how much they can get out of you. Some people realizing they are making the pastor and first lady and all those involved better off then they are. This has turned a lot of people away from the church. Now that I am an adult, the church that I came to love and know turned their backs on me when i went through a bitter custody/divorce. When I was coming up the church use to go and visit the sick and shut in. Take up a collection for the less fortunate. Help the mother who could not pay her rent or light bill and help feed her children. They would even visit sister or brother so and so's son or daughter in jail. The pastor would even go to court to speak on behalf of sister or brother so and son's son or daughter and plead with the judge not to put them in jail. In today's society this does not exist. I believe this is not just in Roanoke, but everywhere. I strongly believe what is happening is God's way of saying we are responsible for our fellow man and it is our duty as not just Christians to help, but the human spirit to want to help. If we don't start acting now, we are going to leave such an ugly disgraceful legacy behind that we will go down in history when it's all said and done as one of the worst people in history known to man. Many countries already view us as such.
Comment by Genia O. Johnson — December 19, 2008 @ 4:43 pm