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Show PRESIDENT'S In the last month the Salt Lake City School Board has announced the closing of South High School, held several hearings and working meetings on boundary chaages and, fin.ally on March 17, announced that it would postpone the decision to close a high school until June, 1988, and appoint a blue ribbon committee to work on boundary changes to be completed in October, 1987. As I sat through the three public hearings, I came away very saddened. The School Board, was treated with incredible rudeness by many speakers. They were chastizedbyelectedcityandcountyofficials.Jegislators who evidently could .not see the connection between the laws they passed and the effects they would have on their COJlStituients, students and residents of South High school felt victimized bythechoice oftheirparticular school. After the deci~an. the School Board was critisi.zed for not "biting the bullet." In 1984, the Salt Lake School Board, faced with dwilldling population particularly at South High School, froze the boundaries between the four high schools. A boundary commission, consisting of representatives from each high school, recommended boundary changes and an equivalancycom.mittee to look at the educational opportunities at the four district high schools has been working since that time. What the paper and media did not report was that most of those individuals ~nized that, sooner or later, a high school in Salt Lake City would have to be closed. With the passage of Senate Bill 128 inFebruarywhich provided financial penalities for districts which .kept schools open which were less than 70% full, the die was cast. What puzzles me is that if the LCag11eofWomen Voterspresidentknewtbat Bill 128 meant the closing of South High School, why didn't the legislators who voted for it, the Mayor and City Council, the Sugar House community who developed the master plan for Sugar House, the South High faculty and community council know it and understand the precarioos position that South High School has been in for the last four years? There are no simple answers except that, as all Leaguers know, many political decisions are made in vacuums unless responsible people who have "the big picture" have someinputintothe decisionmaking process. Much is known about the importance of the schools inmaintaining and improving the communities but when the City Council down-zoned the n~ghborhoods around South, the possibility of closing Clearly it seems that all aspects of the community need to "interface" on the role of schools to the community and economic development. But how? There remains one golden oppportunity-- at least one of the focus groups in the Salt Lake City Tomorrow process will focus on education. Let's hope that the city officials involved will putthisimportantquestion in their discussion _ Besides the educational ramifications, I am still troubled bytbetem.ble treatment of the school board members by some of the speakers. I am reminded of Ted Wilson's comments in my first "President's Letter", that able people maybe discouragedbythe process and not run. GOODBYE! I'VE ENJOYED IT! -······...···--··-----..........----...... What 1s Nat 1onal Securl ty? Bread? or Bombs? ' The Womens·s I nternat1ona1 League for Peace and Freeedem invotes gou to listen for a Changl.l CYNTHIA ENLOE., prominent national apeater and author of man, boot:, pertaining ta feminist issues., is the featured speaker for an evenint of 'Information and eatertai nmeat. SPAULDING HALL 231 E. 1st S. APRIL 1 Otb at 7:30 pm For more detail phone the Women·s International League at 486-2796 or .,,,t Salt Late Yoter South High wasnotrecognized. Simularly, evidently~ when. the Sugar House master plan was being developed, the possibilty was discounted. The patrons andfacultyappare.ntlydidnotrealizetheproblemsthat the school faced and develop strategies to strengthen their position. Those in.vivi duals on the boundary committee and the equity committee apparently did not inform all of the above either. 484-0393 . -1- April 1987 |
