ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Talks continue Tuesday over what to do with empty Rochester City School District buildings as two separate charter schools have proposed buying Schools 20 and 29.
RCSD says no to the sale, neighbors say yes and City Council is split.
Every neighbor News10NBC’s Erin Mahon spoke with said they’d like to see the space stay a school. Many said they worried turning the space into housing would bring trouble.
“I like to see kids. I like to hear the laughter, the giggling,” Jeanne Eckelberger said.
Eckelberger has lived down the street from School 20 for nearly 15 years. After it closed, she says the area lost some of its innocence too.
“To be totally honest, it’d spruce it back up again. Because it was pretty lively with the kids, and we have that park, the Samuel Torres Park, for kids. Why not have it back for kids?” Eckelberger said.
Michael Mack, one of Eckelberger’s neighbors, has lived there since he was a kid and was worried when he heard the proposal to turn some empty schools into housing.
“I’ve always known it to be a school. I would always love to see it be a school because they have the playground there. It’s the park there, now they’re taking it away from the neighborhood. The kids being able to go to the park and play in the park, they taking that away from the kids,” Mack said.
Mack said the school is like a landmark. He’s 53 years old and the school has been there since he was a baby.
“That’s all I know is that school and it’s an opportunity for kids,” Mack said.
The proposal to buy School 20 comes from an all-girls charter school. At last week’s public hearing on the issue, a representative from the school said this location would be better than its current spot in Greece since more than 90% of students live in Rochester.
The Rochester City School District Board of Education released a statement opposing the proposal. The board said a sale to charter schools “creates a cycle of disinvestment that directly undermines {its} public school system.”
Click here to read the district’s full statement.
The school district went on to say that charter school enrollment has surged over the last decade, pulling students and money from RCSD in that time.
Tuesday’s meeting is the second public hearing Councilmember Patterson is hosting to let the community voice its opinions on this sale and future ones like it.
The meeting starts at 6 p.m. and takes place at City Hall on Church Street in downtown Rochester. Check back later for updates.
RELATED:
Two former city schools could be sold to charter schools, but some council members want buildings used for housing instead (April 30)Final hearing to be held Tuesday on sale of former RCSD schools WHEC.com.
Hence then, the article about final hearing to be held tuesday on sale of former rcsd schools was published today ( ) and is available on News10NBC ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Final hearing to be held Tuesday on sale of former RCSD schools )
Also on site :