Community Members Speak out at the City School Budget Hearings

Report on the School Budget Hearing

Concerned citizens packed into the East High School auditorium last Thursday
to voice their concerns about the school budget recommendations for 2004-2005.
More than 50 people spoke at the two-hour long hearing, expressing unanimous
disapproval of the proposed closing of schools and reorganization of school
programs. Strong concerns were raised about the lack of transparency and
community involvement in the school budget process.

The proposal calls for the closing of Josh Lofton High School and School #36
and the reorganization of the Home Hospital Program by distributing teachers
among the city secondary schools. It cited performance concerns as the reason
the schools would be closed. In the case of School #36, building maintenance
costs and lack of enrollment were also given as reasons for shutting down the
school. Even after the proposed changes, the Rochester City School District
would still have a 29 million dollar budget gap.

The teachers, students, administrators and community members who spoke were
unanimously against the closing of Josh Lofton High School and School #36, as
well and against the proposed changes to the Home Hospital Program (see
Community Comments at the School Budget Hearing).

Josh Lofton students told stories of not being able to succeed in traditional,
large school environments - many of them saying they went from near drop outs
to high achievers. Administrators and teachers questioned the wisdom of
closing one of the few schools in Rochester with small class sizes when the
recommendation stated that smaller class sizes are needed.

Several speakers stated they were okay with shutting down the current Josh
Lofton building because of the negative image associated with it - some were
even in favor of the idea. But they said the Josh Lofton program was vital to students
and needed to continue, even if it was relocated to a different building.

Communities talk about small schools, communities talk about schools of
choice, communities talk about school programs. But we at Lofton don't have to
talk about it, because, like the youth says, we're all about it. We're doing
it.
- Annett McMillian-Hitchenson

Community members, teachers and parents called School #36, "a true neighborhood
school," and a "stabilizing factor" for the community. Many parents voiced
concerns that their children wouldn't be safe if they had to walk the distance
to get to School #45 or #9. Furthermore, they said, the last thing their
neighborhood needs is another abandoned building.

Residents pointed out that city spent money last year to expand the playground
and parking lot, and to install new curbs around the school, and that this
money will be wasted if the school closes. The issue of school size again came
up with some speakers pointing out the irony of under-enrollment; if smaller
schools are is a goal, why close School #36 because it has too few students?

"It's a stabilizing factor in my neighborhood. I attended school 36,
my children attended school 36 and now my granddaughter attends school 36.
There are many programs at the school which will be lost if it closes."
- Sheila Margaret-Schofford.

Members of both the School #36 and Josh Lofton communities spoke on the
caring, warmth and compassion of the teachers and administrators at the
schools. Also, they questioned how much money would be saved by closing the
schools, pointing out that the current staff of those schools would still be
on the City School District's payroll, and that staff is the school district's
highest expense.

Members of the home hospital program spoke against the new plan for their
teachers. They were concerned that distributing teachers among the city's
secondary schools will hurt their ability to match teachers to students in the
most effective way.

"If students come to our department, I need to match the students
specialized needs with the unique qualifications of our teachers. [...]If our
teachers are scattered it will greatly reduce the probability of the student
being matched with the most qualified teacher.
- Deedee Ranger

Many community members raised concerns about the openness and transparency of
the budget process. Some expressed the sense that said they felt the school
board was, "just going through the motions," instead of truly using community
input to base decisions on. They pointed out that the actual school budget
wasn't made available to the public - only a summary of it.
The feeling of non-involvement was exacerbated by the two minute time limit on
comments at the hearing. Almost everyone who spoke had more to say than could
be expressed within the two-minute time frame and some were visibly frustrated
that they could not go on for longer. At one point, community member Howard
Eagle asked the crowd, whom he identified as the School Board's "bosses", if
there were any objections to him continuing his speech after his time was up.
Although no one gave an objection (the crowd cheered him on instead), he was
not allowed to finish his speech. (see Howard Eagle's Comments at the School Budget Hearing

The whole process makes public mockery of the idea of meaningful input
from students, parents, and community members. How could anyone be expected to
comment in an intelligent fashion regarding a budget that they are not even
privileged to see, much less study?
- Howard Eagle

Despite any feelings of exclusion from the process, the crowd appeared to have
a lot of energy. Many said they would work to keep their schools from closing
and to keep their programs intact.