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Board Delays Action On Shifting Students

Board Delays Action On Shifting Students image
Parent Issue
Day
20
Month
May
Year
1971
Copyright
Copyright Protected
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Donated by the Ann Arbor News. © The Ann Arbor News.
OCR Text

The Ann Arbor Board of Education ast night deferred action on a proposed transfer of some 350 elementary students [rom the North Campus area to otner schools. . Following the defeat of both a motion to pass the recommendation and another motion to table it, Board President Harold Lockett directed the school superintendent to discuss the possibüity of finanipial aid f rom the University with U-M officials. ' ' The recommendation involved the reassignment of students in the northeast area to Lawton, Lakewood, Haisley and iBurns Park Elementary Schools to reïieve the overcrowding of King School, nd to make fuller utiliztaion of existing classrooms. j,It was the decisión of the board to place the issue on the agenda for its next regular meeting in two weeks at wnicn time School Supt. W. Scott Westerman was requested to report whether or not the University is will to reopen negotiations concerning school costs of pupils Jiving in the 1,324 tax-free apartments for married students and staff members at the U-M. „ , Since last August the University has collected $6 monthly from each family in its apartments for payments in lieu of taxes to the Arm Arbor Board of Education. But this money has been held in escrow pending a court test of the plan, and the State Court of Claims had formally ordered the U-M to continue withholdmg payments pending a legal settlement. Last month the Court of Claims ruled that the University can collect fees from married students housed in the apartments and turn the money over to the school district. However. Attorney Arthur E. Carpenter who represented the students m the hearing is appealing the decisión to the Supreme Court and a ruling is not scneduled unlil this fall. Payments would amount to approximately $7,000 a month to the school district in the form of the monthly fees from more than 1,200 student couples in the U-M married housing units. T ,, During the meeting, numerous North Campus residents urged the board to table its decisión until more pressure could be made on the University for funds. They also told the board that a University spokesman had indicated some willingness to negotiate with the school district but this was not official. Gerald Sussman of 1219 Mclntyre I jected to the proposal and told the board: I "I am concerned about your ad hoc ■ ner of facing the problem. These children ■ must make a serious adjustment in ■ ing from school to school so you need to ■ make a permanent solution to the ■ lem." ., , ,. I Another North Campus resident told ■ the board that most of the parents in ■ that area would like to see some sort of I permanent structure to serve the ■ dren in student housing. "The central administration is ■ matically discriminating against North I Campus students," commented one ■ er in the audience. "Let's work for the I best interest of the siudents and get I ter facilities." I Trustee Cecil Warner said that ne ielt that the board should not delay its I sion in order to have time to persuade I the University for funds. "The University I can't reach a decisión in three months I and a school can't be built in three I months. If the negotiations are repeoned I and are fruitful then we can change this I decisión but at least we wül have a I plan." Supt. Westerman said that ït was not essential that the board decide on the issue then but that a decisión should be made in the next two weeks because of the effect of this issue on tne sciiuiu ■ budget and in staffing for schools. I Trustee Paul Carrington said that ■ changing students from year to year was I unfavorable and the board should try to I press the University for more aid. Approval was given to change the I Stone-Clinton boundary description and I the Bader-Pattengill boundary I tion to coincide with current practice. I The recommendation said that the I ern boundary of Bader school be I ed to the Huron Parkway, and that the I Packard area boundary coincide with I the current assignment of students in I that area between Stone nad C 1 i n t o n I schools. '