Supporters had chance to speak
Safety concerns at school valid reason to deny enrollment cap increase
RE: Editorial of June 18 . ... To characterize the PEC’s decision to deny the enrollment cap increase with the phrase “the Public Education Commission chose to bow to neighborhood traffic gripes over increasing the opportunity for more New Mexico kids to get a high-quality education,” is a gross inaccuracy and completely misses the point.
The editorial minimizes the significance of safety concerns in a school which is already filled to capacity — double the original enrollment cap — and instead chooses to characterize the situation as “traffic gripes” vs. educational opportunities for under-served children. None of the neighborhoods are denying the importance of providing educational opportunities for under-served children. Many people in our community are retired educators and working educators.
... The hearing began with an open forum which lasted exactly one hour. During the open forum, MAS students, parents and teachers spoke glowingly of the school’s performance. They never addressed safety concerns, the school’s lack of a drop-off and pickup loop, traffic or parking issues . ... The students and parents didn’t seem to be aware that their support of MAS’ enrollment increase request would cause further overcrowding of their school, create further safety issues around the school, and would ultimately decrease all of the student’s chances of gaining a “high-quality education.”
MAS currently has approximately 1,130 students on a 4-acre lot with no playgrounds, no athletic fields, and an inadequate drop-off and pickup situation for both their school buses and parent traffic. It would be unconscionable to add 465 more students to their incredibly small and crowded site.
During the open forum, a representative of the Victory Hills Neighborhood Association voiced her concerns about safety, illegal parking and speeding traffic. A representative from the Loma Linda Traffic Coalition voiced her concerns about the volume of car and bus traffic on narrow residential streets . ... Those who spoke “pro-MAS” far outnumbered those who were objecting to MAS being granted an enrollment increase. Even when (Principal) JoAnn Mitchell spoke ... she never addressed the safety issues and problems her school has created for the surrounding neighborhoods and businesses.
After the open forum concluded, letters of public comment were read, which had been previously submitted as per the rules set by the PEC. It appeared no one from MAS had submitted a public comment letter so their position could not be represented in that part of the hearing . ...