LETTERS: NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOLS COULD DIVIDE JACKSON

To the editor:

I want to express my opinion on what may ultimately fractionalize Jackson if we continue the trend of neighborhood schools scattered around town to handle grades K-5. I prefer centrally located schools attended by all children of a specific grade .

I express this opinion based on the last eight years I have spent in the real estate business. I am under the impression that there are no less desirable neighborhoods in Jackson. If you look to Cape Girardeau, you will notice that various neighborhoods range from less desirable to highly desirable. The lines of demarcation were inadvertently drawn by the Cape school district as it set boundaries for neighborhood grade schools. Until Cape built its new school, the poorest neighborhoods had the worst facilities.

Nearly every potential buyer or renter in Cape Girardeau will ask: "What grade school district is it in?" Property values vary widely based on the assigned districts.

With South Elementary having grades K-5 in its neighborhood, grade-school districting is now a concern in Jackson.

Jackson will experience this same demarcation if neighborhood schooling is continued. The poor kids will go to one school, and the rich kids will go to another. You will also get increased segregation (and competition for, not cooperation with, resources) between rich and poor.

Having put three children through Jackson schools, I know how handy having a school next door would be. However, driving across town (and a little extra busing) would be a small price to pay to keep Jackson united.

LARRY BILL

Jackson, Mo.