Dear CORE,

I am very disappointed by recent decision by the Orange County School Board to close and merge Orlando’s smaller urban elementary schools. Closing these schools is very short sighted and is not in the best interest for the future of Orlando’s downtown neighborhoods. Closing urban schools may be economically, socially and environmentally unsound in the long term. Downtown is where people will want to live once economic recovery begins and downtown neighborhoods should be a focus of future economic development. If the older small downtown elementary schools close, many affluent parents will turn to private schools. Closing downtown schools may push other families out to the suburbs looking for better schools, fueling wasteful urban sprawl, increasing the dependence on the automobile, resulting in traffic congestion and much longer commutes. The poor kids will be shuffled and bused around, thus hurt the most by the closing of the downtown schools.

These small urban schools should not be closed for the following reasons:
Closing urban schools will lower surrounding property values and this is counter-productive to the strong property tax base needed to support a stable school system. Small downtown schools are anchors and stabilizers for each urban neighborhood. Good schools within walking distance of homes help to boost property values. The smaller sizes of the schools are better for social growth of children and more personable to their parents. Smaller urban schools provide a sense of identity and civic pride to the neighborhood. Several are not architecturally soulless like so many larger suburban schools. For example, Kaley Street School is a designated historic landmark recognized for its architectural and historical significance. The grounds of the older schools often have mature canopy trees which provide much needed green space and outdoor play areas. Trees, through evapo-transpiration and shade, cool the air and reduce energy use of the school buildings. Trees around schools reduce the urban heat island effect of downtown areas. Smaller neighborhood schools within walking distance of homes help reduce the use of fossil fuels, the costs of transportation to families and the school board, and the release of carbon emissions and air pollution. Good downtown schools help to curb urban sprawl. More and more people are embracing a greener urban lifestyle where they choose to live close to their downtown jobs and schools. For more information about urbanism and schools, I urge you to read this report by the Congress of New Urbanism from this website page http://www.cnu.org/node/1046.

Soon we will witness the resurgence of our cities and the rejection of urban sprawl as wasteful and destructive to the environment. The ‘urbanism’ wave is building. Part of what drives the urbanism movement is the growing market for going “green” and the desirability of walkable mixed use neighborhoods anchored by quality schools.

I oppose the closing of these schools as counter productive. Strategic economic development investments in quality schools, amenities, parks and public infrastructure and services will spur private investment in urban areas and thus growing the tax base needed to support schools. The money saved by the closings can be found by cutting non-education programs, stabilizing property values and seeking a balanced, fair, less volatile revenue stream supporting schools. The State Legislature, Cities, Orange County and the School Board should work together to save the small schools. Please keep these schools open or at least use the closings only as a temporary stopgap measure.



Sincerely,

Ruth Hamberg

Orlando