Schools

Letter to the Editor: School District Closing Schools Would Violate Trust Without Improving Learning

A letter to the editor on the potential closing of elementary schools in the Iowa City School District.

Want to post your own Letter to the Editor on this issue? Just visit our boards, login, and post your opinion to the "Opinion" or "Iowa City Schools Information and Discussion Board" forums.

Letter to the Editor: School District Closing Schools Would Violate Trust Without Improving Learning

Also From Today: Blog: Is the diversity policy causing school closings?

Find out what's happening in Iowa Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

I owe the Iowa City Community School District a great deal of gratitude. A Lincoln Elementary alumnus, I went on to graduate from West High with high honors and was admitted directly to the Henry B. Tippie College of Business my freshman year, where I became a Tippie Scholar. The quality of my K-12 education made this highly selective honor possible. Now, with a sister about to enter 1st grade at Lincoln, the prospect of closing this unique and exemplary school saddens me greatly.

The voters placed a great deal of trust in the Board when they accepted the RPS a few months ago; hoping to find increased educational quality to be the end result. The Board’s recent support of a proposal to close schools, something not greatly discussed when pitching the RPS, violates this trust. No amount of windows or new building materials can spontaneously improve quality of learning, nor can building more large elementary schools--which will send Iowa City into a downward spiral of suburban sprawl. Additionally, in an era where sustainability and "green" seems to be in, it surprises me that the Board would encourage busing students around Iowa City. A large portion of Lincoln students opt to walk (weather permitting), which should be celebrated considering the growing concern over healthy lifestyle choices.

Find out what's happening in Iowa Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Most important, Lincoln is the top performing elementary school in the district (I may sound like an over-zealous alum, but using objective measures, it is true). It would make more sense to focus on improving the district's failing or underperforming schools. It is a great disservice to students and teachers at those schools to try and spend the problem away (as well as to the taxpayers who fund said schools). Rather than spending millions on "modern" or "state of the art" architecture, hoping that it will help, we need real reforms to improve thequality of education. Reward teachers based on merit, not seniority. Consider year-round schooling to make us more competitive nationally and internationally. The list goes on and on. We are truly blessed to have such a wonderful public school system in this town. However, if parents and community members continue to feel betrayed or neglected, it would not surprise me if more people start looking at new options--charter and magnet schools, private schools, etc.

I hope the Board will opt for alternative solutions to promote academic excellence in our community. 

Joe Henderson
Lincoln Elementary, Class of 2006


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Iowa City