Not surprisingly, of the 24 persons who addressed the Webster County Board of Education this evening at the public meeting at the Diana Elementary School, not one spoke in favor of the proposed school consolidation plan.
The estimated 200 people in attendance in the Diana gym were solidly behind those who spoke opposing the plan. The speakers included Diana grade school students, high school students, parents, educators, and concerned citizens. During the speeches, Board members Paula Tanner, Harold Carpenter, Heather Nutter-Davis, Joyce Markle, and Lisa Clutter, along with Superintendent Martha Dean, took lengthy notes and answered the few questions directly posed to them.
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| Board of Education President Paula Tanner addressed the large crowd at the Diana Elementary School. |
Tanner, as Board President, was the only Board member to publicly address the large crowd. In an emotional response to some of the speakers, she said that "we are trying very hard to keep an open mind here [on the Board]. It's a hard time of year. It's hard to see people you've known your entire life stand in front of you and cry because their kids don't want you to shut your school down. As an elected Board member, I'll say for myself, that we're elected to take care of the entire county system. And I'm telling you now, no holds barred, it sucks. We appreciate the support you are showing for your school. And we hope you appreciate the job and the task that is set before us at this time of year because that's when the State says it has to be done." Tanner reminded those in attendance that the next public meeting is Tuesday, December 18, 2012, at 6:00 p.m. at the Webster Springs Elementary School, and that anyone who did not speak at the Diana meeting and who wanted to speak could sign up to speak at any of the upcoming meetings.
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| Concerned parent Debra Davis voiced her opposition to the plan, and asked Board members to let her young child attend school locally at the Diana school. |
The speakers voiced a number of reasons for keeping the Diana school open. They suggested that the school is the heart of the community and closing the school would "gut" the community. One speaker cited the history of Guardian as an example. After the Guardian Elementary School closed in the 1960's, the town's post office and only store closed, leaving the town but a dot on the map. Others argued that Diana students have performed well on standardized tests and has been the only school in the county to meet the Annual Yearly Progress standards for two years in a row. Even others noted that the school has served as a community center for elections, reunions, wakes, a Red Cross shelter, and more, all of which would be lost if the school closed.
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| Diana student Gregory Westfall addresses the estimated 200 folks in attendance. |
The arguments against the proposed school consolidation plan were as diverse as the speakers and crowd in attendance. To summarize all of the reasons here would be a disservice to the speakers. The Commentator filmed all of the speakers over the course of the one hour and 45 minute meeting. We will upload videos of some of the speakers within the next 24 hours, so please check back later for video of this public meeting.
Thank you for being there and for giving our voices the opportunity to carry on through your blog.
ReplyDeleteI only wish the community could understand that this isn't only abt diana. It's a problem with money not being availible to fund the school. HV is a new school-not feasible to close it. WS and Glade are to large to close and move students. Sadly, Diana is the only one left...we all knew this was coming after Kay Carpenter agreed to build HV after threaatening to close that one the whole time she was in office. This isn't the fault of the current BOE members or Superintedent....it all started with KC and ever Super since then.
ReplyDeleteIbeg to differ with the above comment about this school being the only choice. Board members told members of SOS that all Kay Carpenter wanted Diana was for a number so she could get HV built.She and the BOE had our children enrolled in both HV and Diana, which is illegal. We'll see if the Sup. gets her raise if Diana gets closed. Better NOT!!
ReplyDeletesos
To Mr./Ms./Mrs. Anonymous Above (December 17, 2012 9:59 PM),
ReplyDeleteIf it's not only about Diana, then why has Diana been the school that has been attacked by the threat of closing/consolidation not only in the present time, but also in years past? I'm 23 years old and this is the 2nd time that Diana has been threatened - SECOND TIME IN LESS THAN OR EQUAL TO 10 YEARS, and that's just what I can remember! Hacker Valley did indeed need a new school, but look at what a whopper of a school they received that I imagine cost $4-$10 million at least, and for only 70-80 students. Again, I agree with Hacker Valley getting a new school, and for the proposal of consolidating Diana and Hacker Valley on the land that would have been donated for this consolidation proposal, but that didn't pass due to the Board of Ed. [which I may add was not only Kay Carpenter but also the current president Paula Tanner who was in favor of the closure of Diana (kinda funny how much things hasn't changed even though it's "hard" and it "sucks" for a Board Member to have these decisions a 2nd time in less than or equal to 10 years).
I understand that it's a money issue - it always is. My question is this: Which is more important - the money to the School System (which includes 5 schools in Webster County, Board of Ed members' salaries, and the high salary of the Superintendent) or the education, well-being, or safety of the youth of the schools that the School System serves? Closing and/or consolidating should not be the first decision, but instead it should be a LAST RESORT in the instance of the Board "doing all that can be done" to save money. In fact, I don't see Dr. Martha Dean standing up and saying I'll take a $20-$30,000 pay cut to help save the schools, but instead it's quite the opposite. In November 2011, Martha Dean was FOR the increase in superintendents' salaries. (" The base salary of a superintendent will total approximately $102,400 by the end of the fiscal year, a 9 percent increase from one year ago." (2011))(http://timeswv.com/westvirginia/x1295778160/W-Va-superintendents-see-salaries-increasing)
Instead, all we can hear is that "we're doing all we can do". It's amazing how much the children come before the money in our county.
I will continue to fight for Diana as long as it takes. Every story will have a hero, and every story will have a villain. A villain is often time a criminal. The last time I checked, robbery was a crime. I hope that the Board of Ed and Superintendents will remember that fact when they try to rob this county of the Diana Golden Eagles.
In God We Trust,
Caleb Davis