The Fayette County Board of Education made the final approval for plans Wednesday night that would redistrict the area's primary and secondary schools. The vote puts the final touch on over a year of modeling, discussion, and compromise.
Over 50 parents were in attendance for the final public comment period on the redistricting plans. They came from a variety of neighborhoods, including, and although their grievances differed, Joy Davis, head of the Gordon Springs Elementary PTA, says many didn’t want their neighborhoods to be broken up.
“Most of the parents here seem to be distressed about losing their sense of community, their attachments to their schools, their feeder patterns,” she said.
Another parent, Dean Hanlon, said the changes in feeder patterns could break up many of the county’s children.
“Of the 35 elementary schools, 27 will have a diversion through their communities,” he said.
Although the board deliberated on the specifics of several neighborhoods, the only change made to the zoning committee’s recommendations was leaving the neighborhoods of Copperfield, Wyndham Downs, and Clements Heights assigned to Beaumont Middle School, while the rest of the nearby area would go to Jesse Clark. Zoning Committee Chairman Alan Stein said his group had to make difficult decisions, but did their best under the circumstances.
“Given the guiding principles, given what we were asked to do, these were our best recommendations,” he said.
The final plan was approved 3-2, with board menmbers Amanda Ferguson and Doug Barnett casting the dissenting votes. More information on the zoning changes can be found online at fcps.net/zones.
