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Schools

Skeptics give school plan a going over

Parents, teachers and others highlight widely varied concerns.

By DONNA WINCHESTER, Times Staff Writer
Published October 11, 2007

CLEARWATER - For the sixth time in three weeks, Pinellas parents turned out at a public forum to sound off on a plan that would change the way their children are assigned to schools.

This time, some traveled as far as 25 miles for two minutes at the microphone.

A St. Petersburg mother begged board members to change their minds about closing Riviera Middle School. A Pinellas Park parent questioned a part of the plan that would assign her younger child to a different school from the one an older sibling attends.

And a Meadowlawn Middle School history teacher was among several south Pinellas residents who expressed concern that the new system will cause schools in predominantly African-American neighborhoods to resegregate.

"The plan the board presently is considering is well-intentioned," said Charles McKenzie, who is black. "But it is a baby that is not ready for birth."

Wednesday's meeting at Countryside High School was the last in a series of public forums designed to give families a chance to speak out on a system that would replace the 4-year-old choice plan. Scheduled to go into effect next year, it would steer most children into their neighborhood schools.

But several parents at Wednesday's meeting urged board members to retain the current plan, which allowed families to select from among several schools in their attendance area.

Natalie Stone of Clearwater said her son has adjusted well to his choice school, even though she had wanted him to attend a magnet school.

"When we bought our home, we were told we didn't have to worry about our zone because of choice," Stone said. "It's not an option for us to move now with this housing market."

Beverly Pizzano of Palm Harbor said she thinks the new plan would work well "if all schools were created equal."

"That's a wonderful ideal," Pizzano said. "But it's not a reality."

Other concerns raised as the evening wore on included how the new plan would accommodate homeschooled students who participate in extracurricular activities, whether gifted programs will be available to students who are reassigned to different schools, and how special education students will be served.

Board member Peggy O'Shea, who has expressed reservations about the time line for implementing the new plan, said during a break that the board needs to address parents' concerns about resegregation and the achievement gap.

"This is a student assignment plan we're discussing," O'Shea said. "But you can't separate the concerns people have about student achievement from a student assignment plan."

[Last modified October 11, 2007, 01:04:52]