Residents feel pain of likely school closings
By DIANA DILLABER MURRAY
Of The Oakland Press
Proudly wearing his Pontiac Chief orange and black colors, former swimming coach Bob Lorenz said he “can’t understand how a building built in an economy similar to this one (Central) cannot be less to run than Pontiac Northern built in 1988 that is all windows.”
Trustee Robert Bass told Lorenz and other Central supporters in the 420-member audience at the final forum on restructuring Wednesday, “I am a Pontiac Chief inside and out. It breaks my heart. I support you. However, as a trustee, I have to look at all the facts.”
That includes safety, Bass noted.
Other factors the board is considering in closing schools includes energy costs, capital outlay for repairs, capacity and rooms for instructional activity.
The board will vote Jan. 26 on the final plan that will include which schools will remain operating in the redesign meant to help eliminate a $10 million deficit, reduce the number of buildings to match the number of students and improve educational programs.
“So we are putting money into children’s education, not empty buildings,” said Trustee Christopher Northcross.
Although they stressed Wednesday night they haven’t voted on closing Central, trustees have indicated during public discussions in the past few weeks that they have come to an unofficial consensus in agreement with the community advisory committee’s recommendation to use the Northern building near Perry and Madison for a new combined high school and close the Central building on West Huron.
However, trustees are still looking at data on which to base their decisions on and will review new information they requested at a meeting today.
Rafael Lopez stood much of the time with his daughter Evelyn, 3, on his shoulder as he waited to learn where students at Whitmer — many in bilingual programs — will go to school if Whitmer is closed as recommended. His son Jose Lopez, 9, is a student there.
There were so many parents at the forum who did not understand the English language well that school officials were asked to give the presentation in Spanish as well as English.
Staff from Whitmer issued a statement listing reasons to save their school by bringing in children from two other schools to fill it to capacity and closing those schools.
A Pontiac resident and Lincoln staff member received applause for her ‘Butterfly Plan’ that would save Lincoln, put the ninth grade academy at Madison and designate one high school as the vocational pathway and one as the college pathway.
Acting Superintendent Linda Paramore presented in English and the board’s administrative assistant Debbie Vargas presented it again in Spanish. A special meeting was scheduled for Feb. 23 for Spanish-speaking parents.
With less than two weeks before the Jan. 26 deadline for the board to vote on a plan, the forum brought out more opposition to the possibility of closing Central.
“We understand the emotional sensitivity,” said board Vice President Gill Garrett, who facilitated the comment session. “No one wants their schools to close.”
Until this week, longtime activist Jessie Stephens had been the lone voice against the proposal to close Central at board meetings. The majority have seemed resigned to the merging of the high schools. This week, Stephens was joined at the board meeting by city historian Esmo Woods, who, like Stephens, objects to the closing of Central because of its historical significance.
“I know you have to do something, but don’t close our history off,” Stephens pleaded at the forum. “What is the cost to bring Central up to date? What is the cost to bring Northern up to date? Go back to the table.”
A few others had similar objections.
In reaction, Carroll Turpin, a district activist and member of the advisory committee that worked for two months to come up with its recommendations, encouraged the audience to try to look at it differently.
“I am concerned we don’t get too wrapped up in buildings. Buildings come and go. Let’s not get stuck back in ‘our day.’ What is more important is that we provide the best public education we can afford.
“There is no money. We can’t operate (with slightly more than 7,100 students) the way we have for 20,000 children. Let’s make the decision on what is best for children.”
Enrollment is projected to continue to decline through 2013, according to Middle Cities Education Association, officials said.
Both Pontiac Central and Pontiac Northern have capacity for about 3,000 students each, but there just more than 2,000 high school students in the district.
When Yvette Williams suggested the Pontiac unified high school have a morning schedule for one high school and an afternoon schedule for the other instead of merging them, Paramore said, “I think this board will give consideration to every suggestion.”
Some residents who voiced opposition to closing Central said they were concerned the students would not get along.
“One woman said, ‘I’m going to fight for Pontiac Central.’ ” Putting the two schools together, she said, “will be a volatile situation ... because of the history of rivalry. You might have kids who won’t want to go to Northern and parents will send them somewhere else.”
On the other hand, Chris Riley, a 1998 Central graduate, who assists in coaching at both high schools, said, “If you make one high school, change the name and the mascot, then the kids won’t think they have to be a Huskie.
“It could be Phoenix high school, rising from the ashes,” he suggested, basing it on the Phoenix Center and the icon on the downtown parking lot and park.
FYI
Trustees will hold a public study session at 12:30 p.m. today at the Odell Nails Administration Building to determine which schools to keep open in the fall, and on the new Promise Zone legislation to benefit Pontiac students.
Contact staff writer Diana Dillaber Murray at (248) 745-4638 or
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