A PLAN TO ADJUST THE BOUNDARIES OF SIOUX CITY’S HIGH SCHOOLS IS COMING UNDER FIRE FROM ONE OF THE CITY’S SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.
DAN GREENWELL SAYS A CONSULTANT HIRED BY THE DISTRICT FOR AROUND $65,000 WAS GIVEN INCORRECT DATA AND IS PRESENTING A PLAN THAT HAS NO DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE CITY’S HIGH SCHOOLS:
OC……….SHOCKING TO ME. :21
GREENWELL GATHERED THE DEMOGRAPHIC DATA ON HIS OWN AND IS CONCERNED ABOUT A PROPOSAL TO PLACE THE PERRY CREEK AND CLARK SCHOOL AREA WHICH IS WITHIN A MILE OF NORTH HIGH INTO THE WEST HIGH DISTRICT, WHICH IS OVER THREE MILES AWAY.
HE SAYS THE CONSULTANT WAS GIVEN INFORMATION THREE TIMES THAT THOSE SCHOOLS WERE ALREADY IN THE WEST DISTRICT.
OC………..ETHNIC CATEGORIES. :28
GREENWELL, WHO HAS TWO CHILDREN WHO ATTEND NORTH HIGH, SAYS THE CONSULTANT DRIVEN PLAN WILL LEAD TO SEGREGATION AT NORTH, WHICH CURRENTLY HAS NEARLY 63 PER CENT MINORITY STUDENTS AND 37 PERCENT WHO ARE WHITE.
OC……..WHERE IT’S GOING. :24
WEST HIGH’S RATIOS ARE 60% MINORITY AND 40% WHITE WHILE EAST HIGH IS 67% WHITE AND 33% NON-WHITE.
GREENWELL SENT A LETTER TO SUPERINTENDENT DR. PAUL GAUSMAN AND SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT JEREMY SAINT EXPRESSING HIS CONCERNS, BUT SAYS THAT LETTER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN TONIGHT’S (MONDAY’S) SCHOOL BOARD AGENDA.
HE INTENDS TO BRING UP THE ISSUE DURING INDIVIDUAL BOARD MEMBER REPORTS AT THE MEETING.
THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DID NOT RESPOND TO KSCJ’S INQUIRY INTO THE MATTER.
