Phase II Recommendations Dismissed by Board

The School Board voted tonight to reject Raj's Phase II recommendations.

Late in the meeting (around 11 pm), apparently Irene Stewart introduced a motion to reject Raj's recommendations tonight since she knew there were not enough votes to pass them, and they didn't want to "do this" for two more weeks.

Cheryl Chow and Michael DeBell voted against the motion. All other Board members supported it.

Bottom line, AS#1, Pathfinder, Cooper, and Roxhill all stay put.

See the PI article, "Second phase of school closings halted" for more details.

Comments

Anonymous said…
I just read the article and I'm completely stunned and confused. The P-I article states the 5-2 vote tabled the school-closure proposal indefinitely but that "closures could resurface in the future." How likely is this "resurfacing" to happen during the current school year? Could we still face closures for the 2007-2008 school year? Anybody have any thoughts/ predictions/conclusions on this issue?
10/19/06, 9:52 AM
Beth Bakeman said…
My understanding is that this is DEFINITELY the end for closures for the 2007/2008 school year. They have run out of time.

I have heard several School Board members talking about future discussions around middle schools and high schools.

No idea how/if they are going to reconsider elementary and alternative schools again, but nothing will be done for the 2007/2008 school year.
10/19/06, 10:57 AM
Johnny Calcagno said…
Does this mean that Viewlands just gets closed - and the students dispersed - or can the approval of the merger with Broadview Thompson go through sometime later this year?
10/19/06, 11:18 AM
Beth Bakeman said…
Excellent question. I heard from a Viewlands parent this morning about the same issue. She will update us when she learns more.

My prediction is that Sally Soriano will introduct a separate motion for the Viewlands/Broadview Thompson recommendation and that it will receive Board support.
10/19/06, 11:24 AM
Roy Smith said…
My understanding is that state law requires school closures to be approved no later than November 1 in order to be effective the following year. So, even if they wanted to, they couldn't resurrect it this year.
10/20/06, 8:14 AM
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