LETTERS: ANSWERS NEEDED TO LOTS OF QUESTIONS

To the editor:

Recently the Cape Girardeau School District's elementary-school attendance area committee proposed new boundaries. The resulting reaction has been predictable. People are upset, especially those who are affected most. It is important that a very public communication exist between the citizenry and the school board and that we be given thorough and complete answers to our questions and concerns.

I was troubled to see the idea of grandfathering so readily dismissed by the statement that the committee had looked at the idea but was against it "intellectually." What does that mean? It seems like an evasive answer meant to tell us nothing as to their reasoning. Is this the kind of dialogue we are to have? Or is the dialogue merely a formality meant to appease?

We are told redistricting must happen or we will lose local control of our schools. Are we sure this plan will prevent that? We will still have disproportionate enrollments, with one school having four times as many minorities as another. Are we sure our data are accurate? How were the data gathered? Were socioeconomic factors considered? Why or why not?

Were safety factors a concern? How many children will be crossing busy streets to get to school? One school district runs the entire length of the city. How does that mesh with the idea of neighborhood schools? Cape Girardeau is still, unfortunately, a segregated town. Redrawing the boundaries so that we have neighborhood schools and balanced minority enrollments seems an impossible task. Students in the new school might as well be under a busing system.

How many families were affected in each district? How many affected families were consulted? Were survey letters sent? If not, why? How will the plan affect them? Will they move to stay at a particular school? How will that affect the count? How many of those students counted are sixth graders this year? How many preschoolers were counted in the affected areas? How might that affect projected enrollments? If the projections prove to be way off in the next few years, will we have to redraw the boundaries again?

Were any real estate specialists consulted? What will be the effect, if any, on property values? If the effect on property values is negative, are those families just supposed to suck it up for the good of the rest of the community? Is the Cape Girardeau School District concerned about a lawsuit in this area? Was new development carefully analyzed? Currently, there is a lot of development within the new Clippard boundaries. How many students will be there in two years? Will we be back to portable classrooms?

Was the idea of grade centers discussed? If not, could it be? If so, why was it dismissed? Grade centers would solve the problem of shifting enrollments that we have under the current plan. Three school are already going to be packing everything up this summer. This might be an opportune time to make such a change. It would seem to be a very fair solution for everyone. If we did go to grade centers, would we lose Title I money?

I realize the attendance area committee has a most unenviable job, and I believe racially balanced schools are a good thing for everyone. However, this issue raises many concerns besides the correction of racial imbalances. It is not simply a matter of moving the number around. Perhaps we need a more imaginative approach. The attendance area committee and school board need to fully address concerns with complete explanations and give thorough consideration to suggestions from parents and others.

ANDREA SCHNEIDER

Cape Girardeau