Confusion Part 2

Again, I'm confused. If Montlake is now part of the Lowell package and Lowell's building isn't closing, shouldn't the closed building (Montlake) have the public hearing? Or are both ideas still on the table (close Lowell building and disperse the students to two other sites OR close Montlake, move them to Lowell and take half of Lowell's population to one other site)? Even if both are on the table, that would mean, legally, that the district couldn't close either building without the formal public hearing for each and yet I don't see one scheduled for Montlake?

Montlake also has a nice "Save Montlake" site. Sadly, their school survey closed. It had some interesting questions especially the hypothetical one about whether parents would be willing to pitch in to pay for a new building (can they do that? That would be one for the record books).

Comments

Central Mom said…
I do remember hearing a staff assurance at a previous board mtg., via I believe a question from Sherry Carr, that if the Montlake building is to be closed there will be a public hearing.

Given the time between now and when the final decision is to be made, it doesn't seem that it would be a very productive place for the Montlake community to give input.

I was writing about this on Harium's blog a while ago: In the District's mind, Montlake appears to have morphed into a Program. Programs, the District contends, can be separated from their buildings. Thus, the whole Program is kept intact at Lowell and nevermind the Montlake building being closed, seems to be the thinking.

What makes Montlake a Program and not TT Minor, Cooper and Arbor Heights? Are they not all neighborhood schools? Should they not all be treated in the same manner? Why is Montlake proposed to be shipped intact to Lowell but the other schools' students disbursed?

BTW, I think the closing of Montlake at this juncture and putting the kids at Lowell is a truly bad idea. It will complicate, not improve, the already-complicated North Capitol Hill enrollment situation. Stevens is closer to Montlake than Lowell. So is Latona. Bussing kids around closer schools for a year or two, then redistributing them again in a new enrollment plan, makes no sense. Nor does making Lowell the school for Montlake in perpetuity.
12/30/08, 11:23 PM
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