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Hawthorne supporters threaten recall effort

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By KEVIN ABOUREZK / Lincoln Journal Star

Thursday, Oct 25, 2007 - 12:13:48 am CDT

Hawthorne Elementary School parents dismayed at the Lincoln Board of Education’s decision to close Hawthorne say they likely will mount recall efforts to remove key board members who voted to close the school.

The board voted 4-3 Tuesday to close Hawthorne after this school year. Board members who voted to close the school were Ed Zimmer, Barb Baier, Lillie Larsen and Keith Prettyman.

The board also voted Tuesday to keep Dawes Middle School open until at least summer 2009 and, if money is available for a Goodrich renovation, transfer those students to Dawes during construction the next year. The board hasn’t decided how to use Dawes beyond that, though it could remain a middle school site.

Story Photo
Lincoln Public Schools Board President Keith Prettyman (left) and Superintendent Susan Gourley listen to public comment about closing Hawthorne and Dawes schools Tuesday night. The board voted to close Hawthorne. (William Lauer)

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School officials and concerned community members talk about the Board of Education's vote Tuesday to close Hawthorne Elementary School. (Kevin Abo...

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What decision means

A day after the Lincoln Board of Education voted to close Hawthorne Elementary and grant a temporary reprieve to Dawes Middle School, some parents expressed uncertainty Wednesday about what the board’s decisions mean.

Here are answers to some questions they posed:

What will happen to Dawes?

Dawes will remain open until at least summer 2009. The board has requested a financing report from district staff about whether it’s feasible to use Dawes as a temporary site for Goodrich students. That report is due by summer 2008. Should the board decide to use Dawes as a temporary site, it likely would do so for at least the 2009-2010 school year. By summer 2010 or one year before the scheduled completion of Goodrich, whichever comes first, the board would decide how to use Dawes next.

What will happen to Hawthorne’s teachers and administrators?

Teachers and administrators at Hawthorne are guaranteed positions elsewhere in LPS as conditions of their contracts, though it will be up to those teachers and administrators to decide where they seek to work next.

What will happen to students at both schools?

Hawthorne students who live west of South 48th Street will go to Randolph Elementary, while students living east of South 48th Street will attend Eastridge Elementary.

Dawes students can continue attending school there, at least until the board decides how to ultimately use the site.

Michelle Strand and Chip Stanley, who have been vocal opponents of closing Hawthorne, said Wednesday they plan to meet with other Hawthorne parents and interested parties soon to consider recalling board members.

They said they were especially frustrated to see the two board members who represent the Hawthorne area — Zimmer and Larsen — vote to close the school. Stanley included Baier as a possible recall target because she failed to meet personally with Hawthorne parents, among other concerns, he said.

He said it would be difficult to recall Prettyman because of the number of signatures that petitioners would need to collect to subject him to a recall.

“We want representatives that think for themselves and listen to their constituents,” Stanley said. “We’re tired of a rubber stamp board that is doing the will of (Lincoln Public Schools Superintendent) Susan Gourley and the administration.”

Zimmer said he understands that parents are frustrated by the board’s decisions but defended its actions, saying those decisions were made for the good of all of Lincoln students and taxpayers.

With just 128 children living in the Hawthorne attendance area, it no longer made sense to use that school as an elementary site, Zimmer said.

He said he isn’t terribly upset to learn some parents are considering launching a recall effort against him. That’s their right, he said.

“I wouldn’t welcome it, but I wouldn’t dread it either,” he said.

Larsen responded to the threat of a recall effort against her, saying: “I’d be very sorry. What more can I say?”

Baier said she spoke at length with Stanley and other Hawthorne parents and tried to answer every question they had, though she admits she was unable to meet with them personally because she works full time and is a single parent.

“It saddens me that people feel as though their particular needs are more important than a whole community’s needs,” she said.

Elsewhere Wednesday, parents and community advocates struggled to understand the implications of the board’s decisions.

Carmela Sanchez de Jimenez, executive director of El Centro de las Americas, said parents of English Language Learner students at Hawthorne are concerned that Hartley, where about 90 of 100 of Hawthorne’s ELL students will go next year, will not be able to accommodate so many new students.

She said ELL parents are worried Hartley won’t have the classroom space or the same quality of teachers and academic programs that Hawthorne has.

“Why disrupt all of these programs when they’re doing so well where they’re at?” she said.

Marilyn Moore, LPS associate superintendent for instruction, said she is confident Hartley will have the space needed to accommodate 90 new students, though it likely will mean the preschool program there will be moved. One possible site for the Hartley preschool program would be Riley Elementary, which is just east of Hartley, she said.

Zimmer said he believes Hartley will serve the Hawthorne ELL students as effectively as their former school.

“Hawthorne … is an LPS school run by LPS people, and Hartley will do a fine job with the same concern and the same caring,” he said.

Strand said she and other parents from Hawthorne and Dawes also have discussed forming a citywide PTO coalition that would serve as a voice for parents and students across Lincoln the next time elected leaders consider closing schools.

“I think this shows that it’s really needed,” said Karen Lamb, PTO president at Dawes.

She said she doesn’t support the compromise resolution the board passed to possibly use Dawes as a temporary site for Goodrich starting during the 2009-2010 school year. She said the compromise doesn’t seem to encourage Dawes students to remain at the school along with Goodrich students.

Vince Murphy, who lives in the Dawes attendance area, said he is concerned that Dawes’ possible eventual closing leaving a “cavity in the neighborhood that cannot be filled.”

“A school the size of Dawes has a direct impact on the integrity and the health and the identity of any neighborhood,” he said.

Reach Kevin Abourezk at 473-7225 or kabourezk@journalstar.com.


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why don't you... wrote on October 25, 2007 12:31 am:
" ....just concede defeat? You may or may not have voted these folks in, and now that they don't vote your way you want them out. Grow up and find something better to do than harass our voted in public officials. "

 CS wrote on October 25, 2007 3:49 am:
" So, "we'll let you have Dawes, but ONLY if you let us have money later to renovate some other building....." Wow. what a compromise. Give them the school for a while while virtually guaranteeing yes votes on a bond down the road for Goodrich. Thats pretty classy-taking advantage of those parents and teachers like that. Ill definitely remember when its time for me to vote next time. "

 Terry wrote on October 25, 2007 4:50 am:
" GO FOR IT! It's long past time for THE PEOPLE to take back control of the education of their children, starting with the School Boards. Any elected official who says they don't have to represent their constitents is unfit to hold public office and should be removed. GOOD LUCK! "

 Roger wrote on October 25, 2007 5:03 am:
" Yes, I am in favor of a recall, I would vote remove these people from the board. Some have been their too long, and some just don't want to listen to the public. We call them Public Schools, but they have become schools run for pet projects by a few. The School system will never get my vote for another bond, no matter how much need there is for one. I simply do not trust these people anymore, and until the personell change in the building administration and the school board, and the new ones establish credibility I will not trust anyone who runs the LPS school system. I will respect them, as they are in control, but I will not trust them. Sad day in Lincoln, NE. We have approached or are approaching rule by a few, which is why the 13 colonies originally broke away from England. Sad day in America. OH, well life goes on and people keep getting walked on, consideration of the few for the many has become the norm and the little guy has lost in all of this. The student is the one that suffers and that student might be a great Scientist, Leader of a Nation, Musician, Teacher, Engineer, Pastor, etc. "

 J Wilson wrote on October 25, 2007 7:24 am:
" Recall the board members. It is not harassment it is part of the political process. We live in a democracy which gives us the right and the process to remove irresponsible/ignorant leadership from office. I hope the JournalStar can investigate and give more insight as to why the public meetings have been so short lately. Where are these board members making their decisions?! Has Gourley hijacked the process to force her own agenda??!!! "

 Lincolnite wrote on October 25, 2007 8:03 am:
" I agree with a previous poster....why don't you concede defeat. You look much classier by doing so. Concentrate your efforts on getting parent organizations together and create a voice for parent issues. You will create an even bigger divide by pushing for recalls. Use your right and vote in the next election....or better yet, why don't one of you actually run for the Board. How many of you folks had ever been to a Board meeting prior to this issue? I would guess not many. The Board does meet every other Tuesday and always welcomes input from citizens, and way more often than not they do listen to what parents and others say. Get involved.....I would welcome others at the Board meeting as I am usually one of only a handful of parents at the meetings. "

 Dano wrote on October 25, 2007 8:18 am:
" Now, school are run by tyrannts and dictators. Are you really being serious? I understand the frustration and anger, but you don't have my support. Life has its up and downs, and things change. Sometimes, those changes may be difficult, sometimes they are better in the long run, and sometimes, well they out right blow. But use your efforts at election time, instead of a recall that most people who aren't affected by this, don't care about and won't vote for. Use your efforts better. You want to get someone out of their office, recalls aren't the way to do it. More of those fail than succeed. It is in the paper all the time showing their failures. Run ads and get out your views during election times. You will probably see a return on your efforts. "

 SB wrote on October 25, 2007 8:30 am:
" Grow up – your elected officials make a decision based on what’s best for the students and LPS district and you cry ‘they’re not listening to me, they’re not doing what I want them to do” all while throwing a tantrum on the grocery store floor. They didn’t want to do it, but knew they had to do it for the good of the city and district. Thanks LPS Board for doing what you were elected for – keeping LPS financially responsible. You cry “LPS costs me too much in property taxes” and then they redraw districts to help out schools that are only 30% capacity and you cry even more. Most of you parents don’t really think your kids will get a worse education (a famous war cry by all parents in time of consolidation/school closings), but rather just like grabbing your pitch forks and torches. "

 Mom wrote on October 25, 2007 8:43 am:
" Go for recall. But also look to see if there was any misleading verbage in the bond issue. "

 Hawthorne Parent wrote on October 25, 2007 8:53 am:
" Sign me up I will be there to help out with the recall elections. When one board member said she did not have to listen to the voice of the people, well that is what did it for me. She was voted into office by the people, and she can be voted out by the people. "

 Ernie Johnson wrote on October 25, 2007 9:00 am:
" Oh brother. One time these people don't genuflect for you and you want to recall them? How ignorant can people get? You Hawthorne supporters are a perfect example of why state legislatures won't enact recall options and why other states are removing these options. You overreact on everything! You want to spend taxpayer money to keep your precious school open with 1/2 capacity, then when someone won't you want to waste more taxpayer money to recall those making wise financial decisions! Idiots!! Tell you what -- keep Hawthorne open and you people who want it open can pay the tax increases it will take to keep the school open. I supported closing the schools but I was sympathetic to your cause before. Not anymore. Grow up. "

 Tim wrote on October 25, 2007 9:26 am:
" Where do I sign? "

 confused wrote on October 25, 2007 9:32 am:
" I am a littile confused by a recall threat. How many of those proposing a recall are willing to serve on the Board? I seem to recall that the last election was not over crowded with candidates. If you are not satisfied get off you duffs and run for the office. I am getting very tired of complainers who ar not willing to step up and serve. "

 abby wrote on October 25, 2007 9:46 am:
" I agree with the school board. It is not in the best interests of the community to keep a school open for only 123 students in the Hawthorne area--it is not good use of taxpayer money. The building could be used for better purposes that could serve more in the community. I admire your passion Ms Stanley, but it is time to move on. "

 Nina wrote on October 25, 2007 10:13 am:
" Isn't that rather like shutting the barn door after the horse has gotten out? "

 Luke S wrote on October 25, 2007 10:22 am:
" You can't use the excuse of being a single, working mother as an excuse to not meeting your responsibilities to the people who elected you to represent them. If you knew you were not going to be able to do the job why did you run for the office?! "

 Too many recalls! wrote on October 25, 2007 10:31 am:
" The "recall" people are the same people who complain about career politicians. When citizens run for office they are in constant fear about overzealous, one issue people. Therefore leaving career politicians with their own agenda to run for these offices. Guess what, you wont always agree with who you elect, DEAL WITH IT!!! Maybe next time you should stand up and put your name on the ballot. Recalls should only be used in extreme cases, not for extremists! "

 Kevin M wrote on October 25, 2007 10:33 am:
" You complain about tax dollars in keeping the schools open? They are re-purposing Hawthorne and filling the other schools to capacity. Gourley will roll out another bond issue in a couple of years to ease the crowding at these schools. Maybe she gets bonused off her bond campaigns? When your elected officials lie and conduct public business behind closed doors it is time to get rid of them! "

 Sympathetic, but move on people.. wrote on October 25, 2007 10:48 am:
" You had your chance to prove your case. You lost. Don't teach your kids that every time you don't win you must try to oust the authority. If you don't think the school board makes wise decisions, run for election yourself. "

 so wrote on October 25, 2007 11:24 am:
" So we are stuck at 128 students and the number would never ever grow? What happens when it does? Yes, its best these small children walk a great deal further to their new school, some while walking by the closed one. Great idea. Teaches good hard life lessons earlier. "

 Shane wrote on October 25, 2007 11:35 am:
" How is keeping Dawes and Hawthorne open a waste of money? Will you get a reduction of school taxes because they close? The reality is that those schools were targeted so that the SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION could have buildings for an alternative high school and alternative middle school. They lay off NO adminstrators and close NO building plus you ADD a program for an alternative middle school and you think there will be tax savings??? I have some land in Florida to sell you if you believe that. The board's SOLE responsibility is to oversee the running of the school system and NOT to rubber stamp whatever the school superintendent wants. Lincoln deserves a school board that understands THEY direct the school superintendent and her future. "

 imagine wrote on October 25, 2007 11:37 am:
" imagine the public outcry if a president of a country went into a war unprovoked, had no plan for the outcome, continually asked and received billions of dollars to continue the war, the war zone then provided a haven for terrorists and other bad guys, a civil war ensues, and an entire region is sent into chaos? man, that would be crazy. i wonder if the public would call for his/her recall? do we only truly care if it's in "my backyard"? if so, the state of affairs in this city and country is alarming. i'm all for organizing and creating positive change but is this the battle you want to fight? is the problem with the school board or the lack of parental involvment in schools? why are we, citizens, so reactive rather than proactive? my advice, as others have stated, VOTE, go to school board meetings, go to parent teacher conferences, go to your kids games, stay informed with what is going on rather than only reacting when you are affected. What's alarming to me is the lack of civic action and parental involvement in their child's education not how the school board voted. "

 Grow up and vote next election or run yourselves wrote on October 25, 2007 11:47 am:
" The school district I reside in chose to take the entire district fiscal outlay to heart. They now have school 4 days per week. It works great with a longer day-1 less day per week of heating and power use and 20% fewer bus trips. Sounds like your board is doing the right thing. Recall history (per recent attempts)have not been successful because there are more intelligent voters out there than there are hotheads. "

 Civics Lesson - Democracy 101 wrote on October 25, 2007 12:08 pm:
" There were many options. The Superintendent and her Board did not research social or economic impact much. The Board could have brought in mediators to craft mutual gain outcomes. Now we will have to go to the next steps that are part of a working deocracy. "

 realstory wrote on October 25, 2007 12:25 pm:
" Before you express an opinion, it usually helps to have ALL the information. Many of you are doing what the school board was doing, relying ONLY on information from the district administration. Unfortunately, the district is NOT alway correct in the way they look at numbers. (Too many historical examples to go into here). There are several issues here: 1. In the central part of the city, there are schools over 100% capacity right next to schools under capacity. Why didn't the school board initially try to even that out with simple boundary changes first? The district guided the Student Housing Task Force to try and get schools to NO MORE than 90% capacity-and yet they won't reduce the numbers at schools over 100%. It makes no sense, especially since the district had not taken a serious look at boundary changes for over 20 years! 2. Closing Hawthorne puts all the schools surrounding it at 100% capacity next year, WITHOUT any room for growth in grades K-5. (This information was verified by Denny VanHorn-district administrator). This, at a time when LPS is seeing record numbers of K-5 students and there is evidence the neighborhoods in the central region are turning over and will experience a LARGE amount of growth in the next few years due to new young families moving in. 3. The push for a recall is not just about Hawthorne closing. It is about a majority of our school board rubber stamping what the district administration wants. They have shown utter disregard for listening to anyone with information that is reliable, but does NOT come from the district itself. I want my elected officials to do their job-think independently and serve as a check and balance for the district administration. Whether a recall actually happens, isn't it good to get the board out of their comfort zone and call them on the carpet for their actions? This is about holding our elected officials to their duties. It is NOT the job of the school board to push forward the district administration agenda. "

 is this permanent wrote on October 25, 2007 12:35 pm:
" The thing that has never been clear to me is what is going to happen when more children once again (or does the Board imagine that present demographics of the neighborhood are somehow permanent?)populate the Hawthorne neighborhood? "

 Craig wrote on October 25, 2007 1:16 pm:
" One thing that is really misleading here is the numbers. Hawthorne housed 257 students in 2006, and the number is probably similar today. While the redrawn attendance area may be smaller, a number of other students (likely those who cannot attend another school due to overcrowding) attend the school. It seems even more strange when LPS talks about relocating only around 70 students to Eastridge and Hartley. What happens to the other 180? The fact is that the School Board refused to discuss this before the student housing bond because they didn't want to have to use these buildings, and having this dicussion earlier would have led to new boundaries that DID NOT JUSTIFY the new buildings going up around town. By shifting students to underpopulated schools, no new buildings would have been required, but the Board didn't want it. I think a recall is a great idea. "

 What about Eastridge? wrote on October 25, 2007 1:41 pm:
" So the ELL kids go to Hartley and the rest go where? Eastridge is nearby and will absorb some of the Hawthorne students. Either class sizes will go up (which is unacceptable), or the 40% of Eastridge students who are there as transfers will have to go to schools in their own area. All of the schools near my home are at 100% capacity. Again - unacceptable. "

 LLB wrote on October 25, 2007 1:48 pm:
" When Gourley came in as superintendent, all administrators and teachers were required to read a book called "Good to Great." You would be wrong if you assummed this book is about achieving excellence in education. The book is about achieving excellence in the business world. Just what we need, a corporate model for educating our children. The fact is that we need to get a whole lot smarter and a whole lot more involved in order to understand what's really going in the LPS administration "

 Matt Poulsen wrote on October 25, 2007 2:14 pm:
" Did they do something unethical?? By unethical, I don't mean that they disagreed with your opinion. Why is it that as soon as something goes the way you don't approve people immediately want to cry foul! What if the vote would have gone the other way? Would you think it was appropriate for those who wanted the school closed to mount a recall effort? These are elected officials...let them do their job, and if you don't like it then don't vote for them next election. A recall here does nothing but slow down the actual work the board could get done...its not as though a recall is going to reverse the decision. In a democratic society you sometimes have to live with decisions that aren't necessarily in line with your opinions. "

 KF wrote on October 25, 2007 3:51 pm:
" A waste of time. How about actually voting in the next election! Thses are historically low turnout areas. "

 DL wrote on October 25, 2007 3:55 pm:
" The most important point in all these comments is that closing Hawthorne puts ALL neighboring schools at 100% capacity. That's very poor planning. From personal experience on another issue, I can say that going to the board meetings & speaking does NO good. They sit there & listen - then they talk amongst themselves - often getting the facts you just spoke about wrong - but your time is up & you CAN NOT question or restate anything. Sure seems that their role is to back up whatever the district office comes up with - not the will of the constituents or children in LPS schools. "

 Sid wrote on October 25, 2007 4:12 pm:
" Wasting your time, try voting in the next election. "

 Bri wrote on October 25, 2007 5:00 pm:
" What cost to much to run that school every day. There are only what 75 students in that entire school. Close and move LPSDO in there. They are paying all that money to sit on O st. They don't need all those people to work down there and actually do nothing. It would save the schools alot of money to sell LPSDO on O st and move it in to one of these schools they are closing. "

 Wa Wa's wrote on October 25, 2007 8:05 pm:
" You are all acting like children yourselves, if it cost too much to keep these schools open then shut them down. "

 Voter wrote on October 25, 2007 8:09 pm:
" You folks that support the school board's actions just don't get it do you. Let me give you my take on this action. I voted for the scool bond issue because I have 8 grandchildren in the city. I may or may not have thought the situation out differently if the school board had said outright...."WE need more schools and school improvements but we do have issues with low enrollment in several schools." The board didn't do that and we, the taxpayers I think were sold a bill of goods. I think the entire board should be held accountable unless those that have pushed for school closing met without those they knew would oppose the plan. thoughts. If this happened that a violation to have meetings of this type. Let's put that on a personal level. Suppose you are ill, go to see a doctor and he sends you to a specialist. This specialist says you need surgery but it is expensive and there is no immediate danger. Since it is a new procedure I can probably write off a good bit for the fact that I need the practice. You later have the surgery expecting to pay $5,000 but after the surgery the specialist send you a bill for $30,000. You contact the specialist and he says, "Oh, I had performed 10 operations of that sort and I didn't need the practice so I didn't feel obligated to give you that offer any longer. If you had the surgery directly after I made the offer I would have followed through but you didn't. When you ask the doctor why he didn't tell you he had dropped the offer his reply probably would have been...."See a lawyer if you have a problem with my fee." So a recall in this situation would be seeing the lawyer...So why don't you...you may just have the option to vote for recall of the school board but don't think we are harrasing anybody that can and should be held 100% accountable for their actions. "

 good luck wrote on October 25, 2007 8:43 pm:
" I would love to see you all try to get the recall. Let's see, 128 families against the thousands of the rest of us that would rather do what is best for the WHOLE city. Sounds like you'd be better off to get over it now. I sure hope you spend as much quality time with your kids as you do trying to force your ideas onto the rest of us. "

 Anne wrote on October 25, 2007 9:45 pm:
" Question, If Bryan Behaviour School moves to Hawthorne, what goes to Bryan? "

 CS wrote on October 25, 2007 9:51 pm:
" This school board knows what they're doing, and we should support them 100 percent. They know more than I do about kids and the facilities they attend. "

 LPS Parent wrote on October 25, 2007 11:15 pm:
" My students go to Randolph, so closing the school has a direct impact on my students, not just the 128 parents at Hawthorne. My question is, how does closing Hawthorne and Dawes honestly save the district money? They will still be paying the utilities at the buildings and they will still be paying the teachers and administrators, because they will be teaching/administrating at other schools. How much money is it saving the district? The amount of supplies for the students will be the same, because the students will need the same number of supplies at their new school. The one of the alternative high school is locked into a five-year lease, so they won't be moving anytime soon anyway. "

 care about our schools wrote on October 26, 2007 1:09 am:
" Where did the number 128 students at Hawthorne come from? 30% capacity? If you want to know the facts, check out the stats section on the lps website to become more informed before you write comments like the above!! Hawthorne has 247 students enrolled. Those children have to go somewhere. LPSDO says they can easily be absorbed into 4 schools (90 to Hartley, 5 to Holmes, 35 to Eastridge and 35 to Randolph). That puts capacity at 94% in these 4 schools. Oops, we're short 82 students. Those 82 transfer students have to find a home. If they choose one of the 4 schools above, that puts capacity at all 4 schools at 99.5%. The above numbers have been verified by LPSDO. So why does LPSDO say there will be room? They do not take into account transfer students or pre-school children when they calculate capacity. Therefore they can say there will be room for all. In reality, they also have to find a place for the two pre-school programs currently housed at Eastridge and Hartley (another 98 students). And assume that the 82 transfer students want to stay in this area (or need to stay in this area because of established day care, etc.). If you think the group that presented at the Board Meeting on Tuesday night did nothing but show up and state their case, you're wrong. A group of concerned parents and neighorhood volunteers spent weeks reviewing data, collecting data for an actual count of children living in the Hawthorne district, speaking with each Board member one to one and getting the community involved in the dialogue. We're not whining because we didn't win. Nobody wins in this scenario. We're disappointed in the process. Don't call it a public hearing, if you're not going to listen! We learned a little too late, that our representatives on the Board do not believe they need to take their constituents concerns into consideration. Recall...maybe, maybe not...but consider some of the current Board members will sit on the Board until 2011... "

 The rest of the Story wrote on October 26, 2007 7:15 am:
" The majority of the board trusted the data of "resident" students -- using the # of 75 -- the real story is that there are 90 families (not the ELL) who chose Hawthorne as their school - and transferred their family into the school. They were totally disregarded in this process. We keep hearing choice is important - but why is choice in this case ignored. AND why is success ignored. Come on people -- get the whole story -- 165 students - plus the ELL that's 257 kids. They are not widgets -- where you can ship them here there and everywhere -- they are people. "

 You just don't get it wrote on October 26, 2007 9:09 am:
" There questions remains unanswered and I guess it won't be answered in this forum. But I will ask it again. Why wasn't the school closing issued addressed with the bond issue....You diehard school board supporters know the answer.There was not a chance in hell of the issue being approved and you plus they knew it. Have you ever tried to get a herd of sheep up a chute into a truck by pushing on the back of the herd. Try it and see what happens and then grab the lead sheep and the others will follow. This is just what happened and now the issue in not the new schools or the two school closing. It is now the parents of the children that are affected stating their case against the remaining parents whose children are no way affected and the school board issue it the ploitical football. Let this happen in your area or any negative issue the school board comes up with and you will cry your eyes out. Question is who the school board came up with to start leading the sheep up the chute for the other sheep to follow. You supporters of the school board don;t like to be referred to a a herd of sheep..What else!!! is appropriate. "

 Criminey wrote on October 26, 2007 9:12 am:
" Whether the schools needed to be closed or not, the school board L I E D to the citizens of Lincoln to get the bond they J U S T H A D to have for overcrowding!! Even a big bunch of retired teachers tell me they had no idea they would close the 2 schools. This is Lincoln, EVERYTHING DONE by the schools, city govt, & state govt, is done underhanded, under the table, sneaky and with lies. I DID NOT vote for the bond issue because this kind of stuff has gone on toooooo long!! Yes these unhappy retired teachers say they voted for the bond and say never again. The taxes are near the highest in the U.S. because you people let these liars drag you around thru the mud. This just didn't start now, its been going on for years!!! Either know what your voting for or don't vote!!! "

 Heather wrote on October 26, 2007 11:11 am:
" It is about time Lincoln residents took charge and booted out these people. They won't bus the children, they close schools while others are over crowded, the test scores are shameful compared to other states, and the learning environments in the schools are horrible. "

 concerned wrote on October 26, 2007 12:15 pm:
" People are forgetting one thing. The vote was 4-3. One vote in the other direction would have made this decision swing the other way. If this had not been the case, I think the majority of people would be ready to move on now that the decision has been made. But, obviously there were board members who were very concerned that this was not a good option and they weren’t necessarily themselves representing the Hawthorne or Dawes district that this would immediately affect. I’m betting that if the reasons for their opposing vote became public knowledge, that many people would find themselves switching sides. There is overcrowding in this city (take a look at all the portable class buildings). Why do we keep closing some schools, when we don’t have room in others. Closing an existing, functioning school, reassigning all the staff, and re-using that building for something else is not the answer. We gain nothing. And as a side note - a board member who is not available to meet with members of the public should be recalled. She is in the same situation, a working single parent, as she was when she made the decision to run for the position. If she is not able to be available to the public to hear their concerns, she should step down. Consider this, if this was a decision affecting your district, and she refused to hear your concerns as a resident of the affected district, she’d be recalled faster than you can blink. "

 Plubius wrote on October 26, 2007 12:18 pm:
" Any of you wonder why the teachers at both schools have been so silent? "

 care about our schools wrote on October 27, 2007 1:51 am:
" Teachers and all LPS employees were silent because of the fear of losing their jobs if they spoke out. "

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