Share
East Mecklenburg High School backers voiced dismay today at a staff plan that does nothing to bolster enrollment when their school loses hundreds of students next year.
“They just can't bring themselves to do what needs to be done,” said Lou Trosch, an East Meck parent and district court judge.
For 11 weeks, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools officials have looked at options for moving neighborhood or magnet students to East Meck in 2010-11, when the enrollment will drop from this year's 2,100 to about 1,500 with the opening of a new school in Mint Hill. Declining enrollment means the school will lose teachers – and, many parents and faculty fear, advanced academic programs.
The plan released today scraps all those proposals, instead calling for a stronger math/science program at East. Unlike a plan presented earlier this month, which would have moved math/science magnet students from Harding to East, this one creates no magnet program at East.
“This program will require offering of high-level math and science classes at East Meck,” the proposal says. “Though this program may not provide additional students from outside the attendance area for 2010-11, as the program grows, it's likely that area students currently choosing other school options will return to East Meck.”
East Meck already has an International Baccalaureate magnet. The district had looked at proposals to move IB Baccalaureate magnet students from Myers Park to East, but those plans were dropped in today's proposal.
Some board members and East Meck backers say Myers Park is too big with almost 3,000 students. Board members had earlier refused to consider a staff plan that would have rezoned students in the Cotswold Elememtary zone from Myers Park to East.
The earlier proposals drew outrage from Cotswold residents and Myers Park and Harding families. Hundreds turned out to protest at community forums.
Kim Lanphear, president of the Myers Park IB Parent Advisory Council, said her group is “very pleased” with the latest staff plan, but will keep monitoring the board's discussion. Officials will present the latest plan to the school board at 6 p.m. Tuesday, and a public hearing and vote are scheduled for Nov. 10.
“We don't see the options we've been talking about as the solution to East Meck's problem,” Lanphear said.
But East Meck families say the new plan, which says nothing about additional money or teachers for the new math/science program, gives them nothing.
Linda Peak, an East Meck parent, said she read the latest plan with “disappointment and disbelief.”
Trosch noted that CMS officials are talking about building another close-in high school to eventually relieve crowding at Myers Park, but ignoring available space at such nearby schools as East and Waddell. “I think that's irresponsible,” he said, “I would hope that the school board would be willing to make the difficult decisions that are necessary to benefit all the schools.”
