Dozens of Cincinnati residents, parents and students attended the Cincinnati Public Schools Board of Education meeting on Feb. 5 to speak out against a proposed merger of some local schools.
The board heard public comments during a Feb. 5 meeting where members were scheduled to address a possible merger of South Avondale Elementary and Rockdale Academy, as well as a possible merger between Frederick Douglass School and Evanston Academy.
The board heard public comments during a Feb. 5 meeting where members were scheduled to address a possible merger of South Avondale Elementary and Rockdale Academy, as well as a possible merger between Frederick Douglass School and Evanston Academy.
The district is preparing to face a $100 million deficit next year when money from the federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund stops flowing. The district said merging the four schools would save the district $2.36 million.
While the district said a survey conducted during 2023 community engagement sessions found more than 50% of respondents supported the consolidation idea, the majority of speakers during the Feb. 5 board meeting were staunchly against the idea.
Brad Smith, a teacher in the district, told the board there are cuts to be made elsewhere.
"I think the administrative bloat is becoming obvious, and if we are serious about cutting the budget, then we ought to start looking at the positions that don't impact our schools before we look at things that do," Smith said to uproarious applause from meeting attendees.
"Why has [Fredrick Douglass Elementary] been pointed at?" he asked the board. "What is it that Fredrick Douglass isn't doing?"
Jeff Sutton, a chair member of the Local School Decision-Making Committee (LSDMC) at Frederick Douglass Elementary, said the school is performing exceptionally well by state standards.
"We have terribly impoverished children. We got a five in progress, there are three other schools that got a five in progress," he said. "Douglass School has 200 walking students and 64 bussing students. If you move those kids a mile and a half away, they're all going to be on busses. You're not going to save money on transportation."
Speaking on the possible merger of South Avondale Elementary and Rockdale Academy, Dr. Belinda Tubbs-Wallace, a member of the Avondale Board of Trustees, said there has been "zero engagement" on the issue with community partners.
"Let's look at our lines of communication," she said. "There is no way we should be having this conversation tonight at this level if there was communication being done."
The board did not vote on the potential changes during the meeting, but board president Eve Bolton said another discussion could take place during the next meeting on Feb. 14.
Watch the public comment section of the Feb. 5 CPS Board meeting below:
While the district said a survey conducted during 2023 community engagement sessions found more than 50% of respondents supported the consolidation idea, the majority of speakers during the Feb. 5 board meeting were staunchly against the idea.
Brad Smith, a teacher in the district, told the board there are cuts to be made elsewhere.
"I think the administrative bloat is becoming obvious, and if we are serious about cutting the budget, then we ought to start looking at the positions that don't impact our schools before we look at things that do," Smith said to uproarious applause from meeting attendees.
Dr. Charles Dillard is a Frederick Douglass alumnus who has practiced medicine in the school's neighborhood of Walnut Hills for 40 years. He wonders why Frederick Douglass Elementary is on the chopping block after serving the community for 152 years.
Jeff Sutton, a chair member of the Local School Decision-Making Committee (LSDMC) at Frederick Douglass Elementary, said the school is performing exceptionally well by state standards.
"We have terribly impoverished children. We got a five in progress, there are three other schools that got a five in progress," he said. "Douglass School has 200 walking students and 64 bussing students. If you move those kids a mile and a half away, they're all going to be on busses. You're not going to save money on transportation."
Speaking on the possible merger of South Avondale Elementary and Rockdale Academy, Dr. Belinda Tubbs-Wallace, a member of the Avondale Board of Trustees, said there has been "zero engagement" on the issue with community partners.
"Let's look at our lines of communication," she said. "There is no way we should be having this conversation tonight at this level if there was communication being done."
The board did not vote on the potential changes during the meeting, but board president Eve Bolton said another discussion could take place during the next meeting on Feb. 14.
Watch the public comment section of the Feb. 5 CPS Board meeting below:
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