It's not even my school, one my children attended, or even one in my neighborhood. It's a small school in a small community in northern Escambia county. "They" claim it will save hundreds of thousands of dollars. I think it will destroy a community.
"They've" already closed the high school there. Now the middle/elementary school will close after this school year. When that happens they may as well board up a struggling small town.
Schools and churches build a community. If you have good schools and good churches, industry will come. I am a proponent of small schools and think that is what is wrong with our educational system today. We have built our schools too big.
Small schools build accountability. I think you are less likely to mouth off and misbehave if you know that your teacher KNOWS your momma, and has for many years, probably since they were classmates in elementary school. Your momma is likely to stand behind your teacher and not question her when she says little Janie is not behaving, working as hard as she should, and needs a little attention, if it's a small school.
But we've become of an age where it's the almighty dollar and not good morals and community that drives our educational system.
I hope the community of Century fights the closure of their school. Their school IS their community. It's where people gather, for good, for building a community. If we take away the little school in Century, we are taking away the community. Why bus children 45 minutes away? Why not close a small school in town, where another school is closer, easier for parents to get to? Why take away the only elementary school in the farthest northern city in our county? What are you thinking?????
Climbing off the soapbox now, sadly.
