Unhappy About School Closing

Editor, The News: At the beginning of the 1971-72 school year the people of the Meadowview School área were informed by their principal, Paul H. Banniga, that there was a possibility that by the end of this school year Meadowview will close its doors as a primary facility. Shortly after the first of the year we were made aware that this was fact, and a meeting was requested by the community with the administration. This meeting was held on Feb. 21 with a representative of the administration and the school board, our principal, and other interested persons present. At this meeting Mr. Banniga briefed persons on the history of the school, present status, and future enrollment based on present census figures. No mention was made of increased enrollment due to projected growth in the community. On April 26 the recommendation by the administration was presented at the school board meeting. During this briefing session several questions arose from both the trustees and he audience pertaining to any other alternatives. The briefing session was closed with a promise from President Warner to check with the Pittsfield Planning Commission on the projected growth of the area, as w e 1 1 as investigating these suggested alternatives. Between this briefing session and the regular meeting of which the Meadowview issue was a part of the agenda a petition was circulated gathering some 200 signatures indicating our negative feelings about the closing of a school which we feel will be essential for this community in the very near future. This petition was submitted to the board as i well as a plea from a member or the Pittsfield Planning Commission, who is also a resident of our community, which urged the school board to table the issue until they could meet with the Pittsfield Planning Commission to study the prnipijprt grpwth in the area. This plea  rand the petition were complètely ignored. The board voted unanimously to close the school. Following the final vote, our eommunity began investigating how the board reached its decisión. On checking with the Pittsfield Township offices ,we became aware of the lack of communication between the school board and planning commissions on ANY issue of this type. Who else but the planning commission for the area could enlighten the school board better on this matter of growth for the commünity? Furthermore, the people of this community feit a great desire to contact each board member personally as to how he reached his decisión to vote negatively. The general consensus was that the board received and acted duly on the information provided by the school administration. For what purpose do we have a Board of Education? Are they there to cater to the administration or are they there to represent the voice of the public? Are yeroingtocontmuefalet our elected  íÍU?iS be run by the administration Why have a school board?