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Posted: 10:25 AM Mar 11, 2010
KCMO Chief Defends Decision to Shutter Schools
The superintendent of the Kansas City, Missouri, school district on Thursday defended a controversial plan to shutter nearly half the district's schools.
Reporter: CNN |
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3 Comments 
(CNN) -- The superintendent of the Kansas City, Missouri, school district on Thursday defended a controversial plan to shutter nearly half the district's schools.
"No one likes closing schools. It's hard. It's tough on families, and it's certainly tough on our community," Superintendent John Covington said Thursday.
"Closing schools and making the remaining schools much stronger academically is unquestionably the right thing to do. We were operating far too many schools," he said. He said the district was only using about 60 percent of the seats in its elementary schools, 40 percent of the seats in its middle schools and an even smaller percentage of seats in its high schools.
After weeks of contentious debate and years of dwindling enrollment, a divided Kansas City Board of Education voted Wednesday night to approve the "Right-Size" plan as a packed room of people watched.
The plan will close 29 education facilities, according to the district.
Some parents voiced anger. Some students cried.
"I have an 8-year-old and a 6-year-old that will be going to school with 12th-graders. I find that very inappropriate. I don't feel my children will be safe," Deneicia Williams told CNN affiliate KSHB-TV.
"I feel like I have nothing, I have no high school legacy. I feel like I have nothing, nothing to go back to," said Prince Jones, a senior who will be part of the final graduating class at Westport High School.
In proposing the "Right-Size" plan, Covington argued the financial future of the entire school district was at stake. The plan also cuts 700 jobs and saves $50 million to help reduce a burgeoning deficit.
Although there are other districts operating in the city, the Kansas City district is in the city's central core, Mayor Mark Funkhouser said Thursday. "We have 14 different school systems," he said.
Some called Kansas City's measures draconian, but school districts across America -- hit hard by budget cuts -- have been struggling to make ends meet.
They have had to make tough choices between closures, program cuts, bus route cancellations and layoffs of teachers and staff. Schools in at least 17 states have opted for four-day weeks.
The-CNN-Wire/Atlanta
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Latest Comments
to the lady that thinks that it is horrible that her kids will attend a class with highschoolers. I went to school in a K through 12 school and i still lived through it never thought it was bad. Grow up lady.
since two years ago we have been seeing a big drop in school attendences. across the whole united states the latino population mainly. washington two years ago didn't pass the immigration reform bill. then we started this mass deporting illegals back to mexico. we lost billions of kids that were attending these schools that we are closing now. this is going just like the jobs getting raided by u.s immigration. thinking we were going to give these jobs to out of work americans did that happen no. so we lost all those jobs because the united states is to bull headed. all these american born kids with a american yes thats right american mom or dad. and those american born kids now go to mexico schools. and the united states is out those kids attending u.s schools. so the schools here are getting smaller and smaller and you are seeing it now big time. and if that immigration reform bill don't pass this time around. with obama's plan there will be more schools closing lack of kids going!!!!
Angry parents and students need to understand that budget decisions are not necessarily the school district's fault. Schools are getting less funding. If the parents are angry they should be contacting their representatives. The reps have said they don't want to hear it from the school officials, they need to hear it from the community that elects them. You have no right to be angry until you have tried to do everything you can - contact your reps!
