Duquesne schools session becomes heated
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A meeting last week in the Duquesne City School District to talk about education options turned into a contentious session that raised more questions than it answered.
The elected board had hoped its members and the community could question state officials they had invited -- state legislators and education department officials -- about the future education of its 440 elementary students in the wake of the announcement by state education officials that the district would cease to exist in its current form after this year.
But none showed up besides members of the state board of control who oversee the district, and instead of discussion about what the state was planning, there was questioning of the teachers union president over student performance and comparisons between charter and non-charter Duquesne students.
Because Gov. Tom Corbett's administration has proposed having charter schools take over districts as part of a strategy to deal with distressed districts like Duquesne, some felt the meeting set the stage for such a takeover, partly by creating a rift in the district.
"Exactly what we think is happening behind the scenes is happening," said West Mifflin Area School District superintendent Daniel Castagna, who attended the meeting. "The problem with this situation is no one is being up front and saying 'This is what we want to do.' "
Board members who called the meeting had said they were frustrated about the lack of information about how or where the district's students will be educated next year. Draft legislation from the Corbett administration had been leaked to the media in recent weeks, so many in the district are aware of the possibility that the state would create super boards of control empowered to dismantle distressed schools or districts and replace them with charter schools. State Education Secretary Ron Tomalis has mentioned it in public meetings as a possible solution for dealing with distressed schools. The proposal also would allow students in those districts to attend other districts on a tuition basis -- the same arrangement now in operation for Duquesne high school students who attend East Allegheny and West Mifflin Area high schools.
First Published February 12, 2012 12:00 am
