Thursday, September 16, 1999
District split tests Monroe
Lebanon objects to school impact
BY SUE KIESEWETTER
Enquirer Contributor
MONROE — Just a day after the Ohio Board of Education cleared the way for a new school district to be formed in Monroe, those for and against the split from Middletown were making plans.
“All eyes are on us. We're a test case for the state,” said Suzi Rubin, spokeswoman and founding member of the Committee on Reviewing Education (CORE), the Monroe group pushing for a separate district. “We can make it or break it. If any community can pull it off, Monroe is the community that can. We're an involved community, especially when it comes to our kids.”
Tuesday, the state board agreed to put the issue on the March primary ballot to be decided by the residents who live within the boundaries of the proposed district. It is the first time the state board ever voted to allow a deconsolidation issue to be put to a vote of the people.
However, there was another potential stumbling block in the aftermath of the state board decision.
Although Lebanon Schools' officials agree that Monroe residents are entitled to their own district, they are not happy they have become involved.
Eighty-five acres, zoned for industrial use, lie within the boundaries of the proposed district as do about 13 children. The Lebanon Board of Education has contacted its attorney and directed him to explore what recourse the board has, said Katie Poitin ger, president of the Lebanon Board of Education.
“We were very, very disappointed with the state decision. It will have a tremendous impact on us financially. We are looking at legal options in order to protect the taxpayers of Lebanon and the future earnings potential,” she said.
School spokeswoman Carole Dorn said the Lebanon Schools have projected a loss of $179,074 for the 2000-2001 school year, the first year Middletown and Monroe will be separate, if voters approve. That figure includes property taxes and state aid from the students who would become residents of the Monroe district.
“Certainly, we wish the residents of Monroe well on their effort,” said Bill Sears, superintendent of the Lebanon Schools. "We want to minimize the effects so our children and residents are not affected adversely.”
Parents in the current district are also split on the matter.
“I'm very excited about this,” said Monroe parent Sharon Hendrickson. “I've been hoping for a long time — since Monroe became a city. It's appropriate we have our own schools. We have support from the businesses and community.”
Middletown parent Linda Wilson, whose youngest son is in fourth grade at Monroe Elementary and oldest is a senior at Lemon-Monroe High is frustrated because she has no say on the matter.
As a Middletown resident, she is unable to vote on the split next March. Her children are among 600 students who live in Middletown but are assigned to one of the two Mon roe schools. If the split is approved they would have to return to Middletown Schools or apply to continue in the Monroe schools through open enrollment.
“We feel like we're being kicked out of the system,” Mrs. Wilson said. “I'm happy for them (CORE), but it's still limbo for what happens to us.”
A lot of questions remain for officials at both the Middletown and Monroe districts, both sides say.
“We're going to blaze new ground here,” said Edmund Pokora, treasurer for the Middletown/Monroe Schools. "This has never been done before, and we have a lot of questions. Tops on our list are staff and students..”
Mr. Pokora said planning has to begin for the students who return to Middletown buildings, for staff members who may opt to become part of the new district, for reduced funding and for facilities that will remain in Middletown.
Under Ohio law the new district would be entitled to about 15 percent of the joined district's assets but would also have to take on 15 percent of liabilities.
Ms. Rubin said CORE members are also concerned about facilities but must also begin looking for a new superintendent and have to get a provisional school board named by the Ohio Department of Education. The group will ask Monroe Mayor Elbert Tannreuther to solicit interest and forward names to the state board no later than its November meeting.
Although the new district would be predominantly white, the current enrollment — 4 percent minority at Monroe Elementary, 7 percent at Lemon-Monroe High — is likely to remain the same through open enrollment, Ms. Rubin said.
Lawyers for the Ohio Department of Education contacted the Civil Rights Commission's Chicago office. It reviewed the plan and concluded racial balance wasn't an issue.
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