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Wednesday, September 20, 2006

School Board Briefs: School Closures Approved

By Rick LaPlante, New Haven Unified School District Public Information Officer

The Board of Education, consistent with its decision last May to close an elementary school in 2007-08 and a middle school in 2008-09, voted Tuesday night to close Cabello Elementary next fall and Barnard-White Middle the following year. The goal is to provide the financial resources needed to improve student achievement at the same time we are addressing the financial realities of declining enrollment.

Responding to concerns expressed by the community in more than 20 public forums during the past six months, the District will continue to monitor enrollment patterns, particularly in the middle schools, and will be prepared to explore other options if enrollment changes unexpectedly.

Transportation concerns will be foremost in consideration as the District begins the process of determining new attendance boundaries, and the District will be particularly sensitive to the needs of those for whom transportation costs might constitute a financial hardship.

Proposals for new boundaries will be presented in mid-October. Following another round of forums to provide opportunities for public input, it is expected that the Board will vote on the proposed boundaries in November.

Posted by courier at 11:17:40. Filed under: News

Comments

like the board really cares they only care about not ****ing off the rich.Why is it that the rich make twice as much money as the lower class and that their school are taken better care of?while the poor do just as much work if not more and get paid less not to mention their schools are neglected...i dont thing the school board really cares.

Posted by pepper_moto at Wednesday, September 20, 2006 17:51:36

I really don't see how keeping the schools open would "**** off the rich." Also, I believe your answer lies in your own reasoning. The rich are rich because of the jobs they hold. The districts are rich because of money provided by government, depending on a school budget based upon academic scores. Note also that it is not neccessarily rich people owning rich schools. Meanwhile, poor schools are not truly "neglected", but at times simply cannot afford the luxeries, or even simple things such as books and supplies that a more fortunate school would. With this plan to close down two schools, as stated in the article, the board hopes to provide financial resources for the other schools.

To think of this in an easier-to-understand way, think of a family. A family is financially struggling, and does not have enough food to feed everyone. Now, imagine what would happen if two kids, out of lets say six, were to be put into foster homes. Now perhaps the family could provide for the remaining children a bit better.

So to say the school board doesn't care is putting words into the mouths of every board member supporting the closing of the schools. Many may not agree with the closures of the schools. However, it may be a way to provide for the other schools. In this case, instead of having large elementary schools and 3 large middle schools, we would have packed elementary schools and PACKED middle schools. To point fingers at the rich is easy because they seem to be more priveledged, but what we need to do is understand why these changes are being made, and why these measures are being taken instead of simply being angry.

Posted by James Logan student, c/o -08 at Wednesday, September 20, 2006 23:13:27

Listen short stuff you're not better than everyone else because you dad can afford to buy you a Viper. Why are they closing Barnard-White if they really cared about the poor? Ceasar and Alvardo are more privlaged,just look at their libraries. Barnard is located in an area where it is convenient to the kids who need it. The kids ARE in need but the money is all sent to Alvarado and Ceasar. Also, why did the school district let Barnard decay to such an extent? Does Barnard and its student not matter enough to recieve the same "luxeries" as it's sister schools? Also the rich get their jobs because they could afford a better education. Why shouldn't the students of Barnard and Cabello have the same opportunities?
Your example of the family that is financially struggling and does not have ennough food should be provided for by the state. Also most likely people wouldn't have 6 kids but ill humor you. The family would proabbly still be broke and unprovided for. Not to menton that the kids would be worse off in foster homes. Also the parents would have to be more than broke for the kids to be taken away.
The way the school board presents themselves is speaking louder than any words they could have used. Also Barnard should've been provided for before the school board had to shut it down. Also where each school is located makes it easier for everyone to get to school. The elementary schools will be "PACKED" if we close another, hence the reason why there are so--- many. To point fingers at the rich (you) is easy,true, because it is their fault. They constantly buy themselves "ice-ing" and "cars" when they could be making donations to the schools and the poor. The point of this article is to understand and to know. So what do we know? That there is so much more the upper class could be doing to support everyone and the schools.So being angry is understandable especially when the rich are punching the desks in a way that could break them. So lets say a little rich boy punches a desk. Why didn't he get punished? I guess I should say this...on a more personal note,
When you ASS-U-ME you make an ASS-out of-U-and-ME.

Posted by Pepper_Moto at Thursday, September 21, 2006 12:05:58

The district board needs to hire a better ecomonist.

Shouldn't have built Eastin.

Posted by no. at Thursday, September 21, 2006 14:42:33

Haha... yea, I understood I would get that type of reaction. However, I never said I supported the closing of the schools, because I do not. Do NOT get me wrong. Neither am I a "rich boy". My family is in a tight spot financially at that, so "When you ASS-U-ME you make an ASS-out of-U-and-ME." also applies to you. I understand my example was harsh, however I merely used it to make a point about what will HAPPEN if we cut off two schools. Do you honestly believe I would give up my own children like my example? Of course not. So please, out of all due respect, do not assume anything of me if you do not want me to assume anything of you. Nor did I EVER say I believed I was better than you in ANY way. So assuming so goes against everything you've told ME.

I don't mean to offend anyone with my comments, please understand that. I am trying to stay respectful. I really do not appreciate people taking shots at ME. Please don't assume you know me, because you don't.

I ATTENDED Barnard, do you believe I would want it to close? I just don't believe the rich are to blame. I KNOW Barnard is not a well funded school, I was there. I am not rich either, so to call me rich and blaming ME is just a harsh slap in the face.

Once again, I apologize for bringing reality to the surface, because I understand that many people do not agree. But being in America, shouldn't we have the right to voice a view without being threatened?

Please, I understand what I may have said was harsh, but before shutting out the other side, you must understand their reasons. To simply say "That's rediculous" and toss it aside without understanding it is just... closed-minded. I ask of you now, no more jabbing at me? No more threats? This is a public school news service.. just trying to keep it friendly.

Posted by James Logan student, c/o -08 at Thursday, September 21, 2006 20:11:40

how can you be so hypocritical, pepper_moto? you say that the James Logan student is assuming so much, when you're whole first comment, that started this whole debate, was composed completely of your assumptions?

i do believe it would be best for barnard white, of all 3 middle schools, to be closed down. i'm not saying it because there are underprivledged students there, but because its campus is in the worst shape. why would you shut down one of the nicer campuses, alvarado or cesar chavez for example, and then have to put so much more money into the fixing up of barnard? it makes more sense to just close down barnard and focus the school board's spending on something much more important. the school board has based their decision on the matter of test scores and what's best to help optimize the education of children, etc.

and don't go on assuming i'm rich & don't care about poor people and their education, because i'm honestly not.

also, have you thought maybe that the poor have worse jobs because they've that's what they've decided, on their own, to do? you go to logan, right? you see how students don't try their best or come to school, right? well eventually, they, too, are going to get jobs of their own and they probably won't be the best of jobs. people with nicer jobs have nicer jobs, because they work their butts of for them. so don't just go on and say that rich people have nice jobs only because they have the money, because that's just not true.

so maybe you should just hear out the school board and other people before you go on accusing their decisions to be biased.

AND.. is the name calling really necessary? kthxbye.

Posted by another James Logan student. at Thursday, September 21, 2006 20:48:38

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