From The Daily Herald:
PROVO -- Expansion of a charter school in northwest
Provo has pitted the school and its legislative protection against the
city and the neighborhood.
Freedom Academy, a K-8 charter school at 1190 W. 900
North, has state approval for a plan to add a high school to its site.
Administrators say they are fulfilling parent's wishes to have their
children continue at the academy. But residents and city officials are
worried the school's growth will destroy the neighborhood that already
has given up a lot for the academy.
Safety, parking, traffic and neighborhood preservation
are the top concerns, say Brent Hall, the River Grove neighborhood
chairman and Mayor John Curtis.
"We're fighting for our neighborhood," Hall said.
"Neighborhoods are threatened in Provo. If we let this happen the
neighborhood will be gone."
"I feel I need to protect these families that have a hard
time articulating their concerns," Curtis said. "I've got to protect
these neighbors. This has been pushed to the edge of acceptability. It's
a horrendous situation."
Unfortunately Mr. Helvey's comment: "We've done our homework and surveyed the parents" is not completely accurate.
ReplyDeleteWe are newer parents to Freedom Academy and we have yet to be surveyed on expansion. Recently we encouraged Freedom Academy Administrators and Board Members to survey all parents to be sure opinions were heard. Unfortunately, our request has been ignored.
We believe all opinions matter and should be considered, especially in a matter of this magnitude.
We'd encourage all parents to contact Administrators and Board Members with their own feelings on expanding on site.