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SIGN OF THE TIMES UPDATE: PARENTS PROTEST
CLOSING
OF SCHOOL FOR VETS' KIDS -- An angry, emotional
crowd
demanded answers about the closure of the school.
The school for students in grades
three through 12 opened in the 1800s and has 70 buildings on 183
acres. |
Previous article about this situation is here...
http://www.vawatchdog.org/09
/nf09/nffeb09/nf020409-3.htm
All "Sign of the Times" articles are here...
http://www.vawatchdog.org/signofthetimes.htm
Story here...
http://www.philly.com/phill
y/news/breaking/20090207_Parents_protes
t_closing_of_school_for_Vets_kids.html
Story below:
Your comments accepted at bottom of
page.
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-------------------------
Parents protest closing of school for Vets’ kids
By Kristen A. Graham
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
Hundreds of parents today turned out - and then
stalked out - of a meeting to discuss the closing of the Scotland School
for Veterans' Children.
An angry, emotional crowd gathered at the Philadelphia School District
headquarters demanding answers about the closure of the school, which Gov.
Rendell has proposed shuttering this June as a way to save the state
money.
The Franklin County school, which has educated veterans' relatives for
more than 100 years, draws more than 70 percent of its student body from
Philadelphia. Parents pay no tuition, and the state spends about $45,000
annually to educate each student. The state per-pupil spending average is
about $11,000.
The governor has said he expects most Scotland students to return to their
home districts in September, and Philadelphia school officials had
prepared a program to lay out educational options for parents. But they
didn't want to hear it.
"I've got a tenth grader who cries every night because she's scared to
death to come back here," said Angel Mills, a Scotland mother.
Brigadier General Scott Wagner, Deputy Adjustant General of Veterans'
Affairs for the state, vowed that there would be extra support for
students, and said the state would do what it could to make this a normal
semester, filled with sporting events, proms and class trips. Wagner asked
the parents to help "drive on like military people to get through this
difficult semester," but many parents said they felt blindsided and not
supported.
Gail Schuyler, Dean of Students at Scotland, said she has been fielding
phone calls from parents since the closure was announced early last week.
"I'm sorry sir, you have not supported the children," Schuyler said to
Wagner. "You are facing today what I have faced since Tuesday. They're
afraid, and rightly so."
Philadelphia School District officials offered to make personnel available
to talk about curriculum, junior ROTC, charter schools and student
placement, but most parents said they knew about - and were unsatisfied
with - what the district had to offer. Their main concern, they said, was
fighting to keep Scotland open.
"If you can't help us, we're going straight to Harrisburg!" one woman
shouted, pumping her fist in the air, gathering up her bag, and walking
out the door.
-------------------------
posted by Larry Scott
Founder and Editor
VA Watchdog dot Org
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