Report Inappropriate Comments

Mr. Cushman, this is at least round three of the school department focusing only cost without any analysis on what the impact of consolidation has on its students. As part of round one, due to a focus only on costs, the WPS ruined Sherman School by stuffing it with far too many students after transferring a portion of the students from John Greene; and then last year they almost ruined the educational environment for Gorton and Aldrich students by trying to cram them into one school.

This costs only motivation should not be happening in a city with such a good tax base. Other than attempted reduction in costs, there is no legitimate reason to destroy our near ideal size high schools. These types of destructive plans that focus only on cost usually take place in distressed urban schools districts because their tax base left it with no other choices.

However, the comments coming from conservative /Tea Party voters and politicians, and talk radio hosts and listeners, falsely make it appear that Warwick is in the same situation as a distressed urban city. In general, not just when they are discussing public schools students, these commentators demonstrate blatant lack of caring about those that actually take part in government provided services. I hoped that this mindless anti-government nonsense would not reach Warwick but it apparently has.

This mindless cost only focus on consolidation must stop before it results in Warwick resembling a poor urban city in which taxpayers view those that attend the City schools as "the others" that take their tax dollars while they feel they have no choice but to send their children to private or religious based schools. It appeared that both the mayor, in his written correspondence, and the Chairperson of the School Committee in addressing the audience, already viewed the Warwick Veterans students and their parents as "the others" by condescendingly reminding them to behave and by unnecessarily providing six policemen at the meetings on Monday and Tuesday night last week.

There is no reason that leaders of both the City and WPS would inflict such unnecessary wounds on the City it is supposed to serve. The City already has near ideal size high schools now. They need to find a way to properly fund the schools so that actions are driven mainly by trying to get the best educational outcomes, not simply slashing costs. Returning the high schools to their pervious overcrowded state will only turn potential homeowners that have school age children away from Warwick and that will have very negative impact on property values.

From: Committee tables school plan

Please explain the inappropriate content below.