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School Children Banned From Kensington Public Parks
posted 10/02/09
6:08 pm
"It's like a sad children's story," said Joe McPherson, headmaster of the Brookewood School.
But it's no fable. The girls at Kensington's Brookewood School are banned from using a public park right across the street for recess.
"I don't think it's really fair because we're part of the community too and we want to play in the park," said Jill Collins, a fifth-grade student.
The town council unanimously passed a resolution this week saying only caretakers with children five years old and younger can be in Reinhardt Park from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Since that resolution passed, Brookewood students have gone elsewhere for recess. "We like to use the park because it's big and we like to run around and play games," said Basia Syski, a fifth-grade student.
The town manager says students using the park for recess created maintenance issues and damage. The town council asked the school to pay $4,000 a year to help with upkeep but never heard back.
"Do a clean through trash pickup, lay mulch around the swings -- we could do that," said McPherson. "But pay $4,000? We just don't have it. We just don't have it in our budget."
Brookewood's headmaster tells ABC 7 News it's a public park for all too use but Kensington's mayor disagrees. By phone he said the park is for taxpaying citizens -- not abuse by a private non-profit school.
Tracy Wagner brings her toddler to the park -- a park she describes as rarely used.
"Really is it that big of a deal to put some more mulch down? I don't know. That's my personal opinion. It's for the kids. The kids are using it," she said.
The girls at Brookewood say they brought life to the park, a park they now watch sit empty. "I think it's silly that we can't use it," said Syski.
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Latest Comments on "School Children Banned From Kensington Public Parks"
posted by: Kirstenlf on 5:35 pm on 10/23/09
I tried to look up the Brookwood tuition before I made my comment, but, interestingly, their website is ?currently undergoing an extensive update.?
It seems to me that the school is playing on the emotions that the surface of their argument generates, which just annoys the crap out of me. I suspect that the tuition for one child at Brookwood is equal to or less than the $4000/year the city is asking Brookwood to contribute for increased usage of the public space.
I understand that many of the parents may be tax-paying citizens of the community ? though I doubt they all are ? but those taxes assume regular use of the public space, not five days/week x however many hours of recess x the number of children. I just don?t think $4000 is an unreasonable request in light of increased maintenance costs. ... Read More
One assumes that the reason the Brookwood children attend Brookwood in the first place is that their public school is not serving their needs. As such, I find it very difficult to drum up any sympathy when so many of our public schools cannot even supply textbooks. My own son attended a public school that literally rained ceiling plaster down on his head whilst he tried to learn. Had I the funds, I would have sent him to private school in a heartbeat.
As compromise, perhaps the school might consider offering a full scholarship to a child in the community whose parent(s) cannot afford private school tuition. Although, I suspect the cost of educating that one child would, in the long run, outweigh the maintenance request.
The offer for the parents to assume maintenance of the park sounds philanthropic on the surface, but who is going to be responsible for that task? How will it be monitored? The administrative cost of managing the ?volunteers? needs to be considered also.
Seriously, Brookwood, a couple good fundraising car washes would satisfy all parties involved. Eh. My two cents, for what it?s worth.
It seems to me that the school is playing on the emotions that the surface of their argument generates, which just annoys the crap out of me. I suspect that the tuition for one child at Brookwood is equal to or less than the $4000/year the city is asking Brookwood to contribute for increased usage of the public space.
I understand that many of the parents may be tax-paying citizens of the community ? though I doubt they all are ? but those taxes assume regular use of the public space, not five days/week x however many hours of recess x the number of children. I just don?t think $4000 is an unreasonable request in light of increased maintenance costs. ... Read More
One assumes that the reason the Brookwood children attend Brookwood in the first place is that their public school is not serving their needs. As such, I find it very difficult to drum up any sympathy when so many of our public schools cannot even supply textbooks. My own son attended a public school that literally rained ceiling plaster down on his head whilst he tried to learn. Had I the funds, I would have sent him to private school in a heartbeat.
As compromise, perhaps the school might consider offering a full scholarship to a child in the community whose parent(s) cannot afford private school tuition. Although, I suspect the cost of educating that one child would, in the long run, outweigh the maintenance request.
The offer for the parents to assume maintenance of the park sounds philanthropic on the surface, but who is going to be responsible for that task? How will it be monitored? The administrative cost of managing the ?volunteers? needs to be considered also.
Seriously, Brookwood, a couple good fundraising car washes would satisfy all parties involved. Eh. My two cents, for what it?s worth.
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