posted May 19, 2008
It’s been reported several times on radio and television news. Hamilton County Schools Superintendent, Dr. Jim Scales, has made it public that he wants to combine schools in an effort to save money.
We all know that saving money is a good thing. No one wants higher taxes or school fees. But just how much will combining schools save? Dr. Scales can’t tell us. He doesn’t know for sure.
Is it worth the price our children will pay? There is 40 years worth of research and studies indicating that without doubt, small schools are better. Study after study proves that smaller schools are safer, have better academic achievement, promote character development and emotional stability among their students, foster a cohesive sense of community, have lower dropout rates, provide better work environments for teachers, and increase public confidence and parent satisfaction.
So why would we combine two or three smaller schools into one big one? Supposedly it would save money. However, we have no figures to prove it, and there are studies that indicate small schools may be more cost effective than their larger counterparts when you factor in reduced expenses due to disruptive behavior, violence, and vandalism.
We have no proof it will save money. However, there is an enormous amount of evidence that smaller schools are better. Better schools make better communities. Better communities keep our property values higher. Are we, the public, willing to gamble on the idea that we might save some money by combining schools when there is a very real possibility of harming our community and devaluing our property?
Currently the debate is over combining McBrien Elementary (483 students) with East Ridge Elementary (312 students.) East Ridge Elementary must be replaced. It’s almost 70 years old and in terrible condition. Dr. Scales wants to build the replacement school large enough to house McBrien’s students and close McBrien.
Information reported in the Times Free Press indicates it would cost $22 million to do that. To replace East Ridge Elementary would only cost around $16 million. Minor cosmetic repairs to McBrien to, among other things, increase energy efficiency would cost about $2.9 million according to the article. So it would actually cost 'more' to combine the schools.
Keeping McBrien, a school that is in good condition with good test scores, good parental involvement and a wonderful reputation, is actually the less expensive choice.
Why should you be concerned? McBrien and East Ridge Elementary are only the beginning. There are 16 other elementary schools in Hamilton County with less than 400 students. Lookout Mountain Elementary is almost 80 years old with only 176 students. Is it next on Dr. Scales’ list of schools to be combined with another? Will the property value of Lookout Mountain residents decline if their new, larger school can’t produce the quality learning environment their current school does? Soddy Elementary is almost 70 years old with only 306 students. Are Soddy residents ready to have their school closed? What about Hillcrest (261 students) or DuPont (230 students)? Both schools are aging. Both could be on the chopping block.
I would urge all Hamilton County taxpayers to contact their school board representative. Tell them you want to keep your smaller, better schools.
Right now, many Hamilton County residents can’t be bothered with the concerns voiced by East Ridge residents over the forming of a mega school in their community. They can’t be inconvenienced to take a few minutes to contact their school board member and voice their opposition. Be warned. If East Ridge fails to stop this merger due to the lack of support from others in Hamilton County, your school could be next.
Missy Wickersham
East Ridge
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