At their Monday night meeting, Athens City Council members discussed the effects of the proposed “mega-school.”
The Athens City School District Facilities Steering Committee has proposed three options for the school board to consider regarding how to repair the high school, middle school and elementary school buildings. Each one has the sixth grade joining the middle school, but they all differ in their approach to elementary level buildings, including an option to have the elementary school be on a single campus with three buildings, according to a previous Post report.
Along with discussing the effects, city council heard input from Athens residents.
Many members of the community were strongly opposed to city council having a say in the matter.
“It is not good policy for one governmental agency to be silencing another,” Jeff Risner, D-2nd Ward, said.
Council members said they are looking to collaborate more with the school board to create a resolution.
“What I am hoping to see is that there is more of a spirit of collaboration,” Councilwoman Arian Smedley, D-At Large, said, referring to a collaboration between city council and the school district.
Several community members were also concerned about the treatment of children with disabilities in the district.
One citizen said she believed the resolution from city council would interfere with the lives of everyone in the district and have a tremendous impact on children with disabilities.
Two members of the community agreed, expressing concerns about the treatment of their children, both of whom have disabilities.
Another member of the community expressed her belief that the town is run on an unequal system, and council members have to look at the system in which they are working, not the system that is wanted.
Many of the citizens and council members who spoke at the meeting said they would like to encourage open-mindedness and collaboration between Athens City Council members and the Athens City School District.
“There’s a lot of people and facilities in the city that have to do with the schools, and you cannot argue that much of the monies from the citizens go forward from the city,” Councilwoman Chris Fahl, D-4th Ward, said. “I feel like a lot of citizens feel as though they are not being listened to when it comes to that sort of impact. The school board has to come together with city council to address these concerns.”
Both council members and community members stressed concerns about the proposed resolution, though members of the community were, for the most part, ardently opposed to it.
Council members voted 3-3 to postpone the resolution, with a tiebreaker vote by city council President Chris Knisely.
“This (conflict) doesn’t feel like what the spirit of Athens is, which is inclusive and welcoming.” Councilman Peter Kotses, D-At Large, said.
