"If I had made those decisions at the End of november and I knew they were the decisions, I'd move forward. I would have saved myself going around the city for two months, getting yelled at," said Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee.
About 50 people signed up to testify Monday before the D.C. Council in a hearing on the matter. Later this week on Thursday, Mayor Adrian Fenty and Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee have organized 23 simultaneous public hearings to gather input. Some parents and community activists, though, object to the mayor's 23 separate hearings as a way to minimize opposition. Instead they're holding their own meeting Thursday night at the Wilson Building with help from two D.C. Council members.
At Monday's meeting, many parents fired off at Rhee and pleaded with the city council for help. One man was dragged out of the meeting after yelling that parents had been lied to.Fenty and Rhee say they need to close unneeded school space and instead use that money to improve academics.
But many parents say they feel left out of the process.
Many people fail to realize that each school has a very different school culture, and that not all of the 23 schools are horrible places. Several "under enrolled" schools on the list are not under performing schools.
When the programs that work are eliminated to "re-invent the wheel", this will push more middle and low income families toward charter schools.
Few people want to have their children be the guinea pigs for the public school consolidation. Even more want their elementary and middle school aged children to be able walk to school.
As a new mother and homeowner, my daughter was going to go to Park View, which is across the street from my house. The class sizes are small (less than 15 students in a room) and they have good programs. Now that my option may be are to send my soon to be 5 year old 11 blocks away to a crowded Bruce-Monroe, or two blocks away to the new EL Haynes Public Charter School, (which will have a Pre-K - 8 program and limited enrollment).
I will be looking into the charter school.
Think of mergers in the business world. It takes time for the environment to absorb all the players, and to produce effective results.
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