| Sticking with the EBRPSS |
A mother of three, Cheryl Lott's children attend magnet schools—Baton Rouge Foreign Language Academic Immersion Magnet School and Baton Rouge Magnet High School, respectively—and she is opposed to the proposed breakaway school district known as the Southeast Baton Rouge Community School System.
Why are you most opposed to a breakaway school district?
Right now, school districts are defined by municipalities—cities or parishes. This area is not a separate city.
If this precedent is set, affluent neighborhoods all over our state could draw their own lines, separating themselves and their tax dollars off from the rest of their cities What is worse is that they can leave their legacy costs and their debt for the poorer areas to pay.
What would you say to parents who hold the opposing view?
The poorer children of our city have only one chance at breaking the poverty cycle, and that chance is a quality education.
If the more affluent areas pull their tax dollars away and leave the poorer areas to pay their debt, those dollars will be taken from the classroom.
Yes, it's called One Community One School District, a group of parents, taxpayers and citizens from all over the parish who want to see our city come together and improve the education of all of the children of Baton Rouge.
How would a new school district affect your children?
My daughter would be taken out of her grade-A magnet school. She is currently attending a racially and economically diverse school where she is learning in another language.
Are there specific changes to the current public school system you would like to see that you think would help address the concerns of those in favor of breaking away?
Yes. I'd like to see the gifted and magnet programs expanded, especially into the southern part of the parish. I'd also like to see the middle class of Baton Rouge getting involved in our public schools again.
There is a place in the system for all families who value education and there are many different programs to choose from. If parents do their homework and check it out, I think they will be surprised at the good things they find.
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