Packed schools key issue
Infrastructure a focus in long-range plan update
The Post and Courier
Students crowd the hallways at the end of the school day at Summerville High School on Friday. Summerville High is one of the district's most crowded schools, with 3,500 students in a facility built for 2,750.
Good schools were the bait that hooked many families on the idea of buying homes in Summerville and other parts of southern Dorchester County.
But so many were lured by reasonably priced homes and a quality public education for their children that now all but two of the schools in Dorchester District 2 are at capacity or overcrowded. Some local leaders fear that more growth could erode the quality of those schools and irreparably damage one of the things that drew families to the area in the first place.
And no new schools are on the horizon after the school board recently put on hold plans to go to voters for money to build new ones. District leaders and school board members said the plan would likely fail in the current economic climate.
The crowding could worsen if Summerville Town Council doesn't include strong language in its long-range development plan requiring that infrastructure — sewers, roads and especially schools — be built concurrently with new residences, said Dorchester County Council Chairman Jamie Feltner.
The county included such language when it updated its long-range plan, known as a comprehensive plan, last year, he said, and he hopes the town follows its lead. Now, new homes are dramatically outpacing new schools, he said.
Feltner also said that he doesn't think the city of North Charleston adequately considered residential development's impact on schools when it updated it's comprehensive plan last year.
Some North Charleston students attend school in Dorchester District 2. "We have resistance everywhere
we go, and it's all about money," Feltner said.
North Charleston city planner Bill Gore disagreed with Feltner. He said the city's plan states that "we need to work with the school district to coordinate on infrastructure." And, he said, the city included representatives from the school district when it developed its plan.
The comprehensive plan, Gore said, includes a policy recommendation on schools. City officials will follow the recommendation when they make regulations that affect schools, he said.
Under state law, all counties and municipalities must have such a plan and must update it every 10 years.
Summerville Town Council is in the process of updating its plan, and a proposed version is scheduled to come before council members Wednesday. That's the day after an election where voters will decide on two of the council's seats. The biggest issue in those two campaigns is how to manage growth.
In District 3, Walter Bailey is running against incumbent Howard Bridgman.
Bailey said he's opposed to including in the plan update the kind of language Feltner is calling for because "property owners should be able to develop their property as they choose, depending on zoning."
"We have property rights in this country and people are forgetting that," he said.
The school district, not the town, has control of the schools, he said. The town has no place making requirements on things over which it has no control, he said. The proposed requirement "amounts to a building moratorium, which is the last thing we need in a failing economy," Bailey said.
Bridgman supports the requirement. "If the schools went down in quality," he said, "property values will drop and lower demand."
The issue has become a live ember not only in that race but also in the District 5 race between incumbent Bob Flowers and challenger Kima Garten-Schmidt.
Flowers said he doesn't think that infrastructure development must precede growth but only keep pace with it. Garten-Schmidt wants to keep current residents from paying for services for new residents.
Dorchester schools Superintendent Joe Pye did not return calls for comment Friday.
Pye last month told school board members that the district desperately needs new schools. "I wish I could blink and (the new schools) would be here today," Pye said. "The largeness of our schools is the biggest thing affecting student achievement."
Bo Petersen contributed to this report. Reach Diane Knich at dknich@postandcourier.com or 937-5491.
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Comments
eds777 (anonymous) says...
Overcrowded schools lead to social and disciplinary problems with students, which spills over into the community. This sure would remove a lot of luster from Summerville and Dorchester County.
May 9, 2009 at 6:46 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
karmann (anonymous) says...
I wonder if CCSD and North Charleston are paying attention to this article? Parents are moving to areas w/ good schools and out of areas w/ bad schools, yet North Charleston wants to have all these hight dollar homes in the old Nort Charleston area and be satisfied w/ poor schools. I have been told there is a liason between N. Chas and CCSD, but I have never heard them make noise and now North Charleston HS is having to restructure their staff again b/c of low performance among the students. I also blame parents who do not appear to care about the education of their children to push them to get a good education. When we took our prayer and discipline and high academic expectations, look what we get.
May 9, 2009 at 7:28 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
gococks1985 (anonymous) says...
Let's not forget about the teacher's who are told to mark your children absent (cutting class) if they are more than 8 minutes late to class...what does that say about the integrity and honesty of the DD2 (FDHS) staff, regulations and rules?
May 9, 2009 at 7:58 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dawhetsell (anonymous) says...
You have three choices. You raise taxes and help destroy the economy. You get obama to print extra money out of thin air like he is doing now and give it to you to build new schools and destroy the economy. You can make the builders build schools,roads,water and sewer before they build the first house. The only thing that I think you would possabily do is raise homeower taxes to do all these.
May 9, 2009 at 8:34 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
moonpie (anonymous) says...
I would have to agree that we should be providing our kids the absolute best education. This is why I send mine to private school. You have seen the greed of developers, counties, cities and towns seeking tax revenue from building more and more homes, without a fore thought of how to move those people (over crowded infrastructure) or how to educate the kids that move to the area (over crowded schools). How's that private school tax credit looking now? With the $10000. that CCSD,DDSD says they spend on educating a child.
May 9, 2009 at 9:36 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
KidYendor (anonymous) says...
Much of school overcrowding is caused by the welfare state as the non-working non-taxpaying have children without thought or responsibility. The schools become burdened and overcrowded because of this.
May 9, 2009 at 11:02 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
liv4wknds (anonymous) says...
Moonpie I totally agree.... I am a single mother and have sacrificed, to afford my two children attending private school. I get comments that private school is a luxury, however once seeing the difference in education and discipline levels, I found it a necessity.
I also resided in a heavily congested area in the City of Summerville (since 1977), our congestion mostly caused by the building explosion (building permits issued to anyone with a license) and as you stated the city or county gave no fore thought of maneuvering around town, because of this I sold and relocated. What was a quaint little town with great schools has become a mess. Congrats City of Summerville and Dorchester County and good riddance.
May 9, 2009 at 11:07 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tj (anonymous) says...
If paying higher taxes is going to help my children, and children for years to come get a better education, I am all for it! You cant put a price on that, its a shame that people are not more generous when it comes to educating our children.
May 9, 2009 at 11:09 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
JD_Simms (anonymous) says...
Walter Baily said, "property owners should be able to develop their property as they choose, depending on zoning. ...We have property rights in this country and people are forgetting that."
This is a bit of a tired old mantra to be running on, especially these days, isn't it Mr. Baily? Of course, property owners have the right to use their property as they wish...but only to the extent it doesn't interfere or overshadow the rights of others. Glad you at least give lip service to the concept of zoning which, in essecene, is the notion behind Mr. Feltner's reasoned approach.
I think most people would agree that this country became strong through individual property rights, but even our forefather's had the concept of community planning in mind. Just because you own a chunk of land, doesn't mean you should be able to establish a pig farm on it if it's going to interfere with your neighbor's "right" to the quiet enjoyment of his/her property. It's just a common sense approach.
The same goes for developers of land within Summerville. Yes it is their right to develop as they choose, but only to the point that it doesn't interfere with the rights of other citizens to have the decent roads, schools, etc. that they pay for.
You see, Mr. Baily, in a democracy the notion of "rights" is a two way street. Perhaps it is you who is the forgetful one.
May 9, 2009 at 11:40 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
guidedbystewart (anonymous) says...
How true JD,
Mr. Bailey sounds like a Grade A idiot!
May 9, 2009 at 1:03 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
OMGreally (anonymous) says...
gococks1985 - sounds like your kid needs to get to class on time from now on - why point the finger at people who are trying to follow the rules? Don't be part of the problem, be part of the solution. If the school is as crowded as everyone says it is - can you imagine what would happen if everyone decided to come to class late? or 1/2 the students? or 1/4 or 1/10 of the students? or even 1 kid per class period? Arghhhh - what a nightmare for the teacher to start teaching and have to cater to the kids who are irresponsible!
Look, schools are important to support. I can tell you first hand the money is going back to the students and the facility - NOT necessarily to the teachers! :(
May 9, 2009 at 5:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
cfdfamily (anonymous) says...
tj- throwing more good money after bad is not the way to solve this problem. We need to reduce waste and get parents involved in their own children's education. Private schools are educating kids better than public and at half the cost.
May 9, 2009 at 6:31 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
fred (anonymous) says...
Sounds to me like gococks has a problem with respect for authority, and has passed that problem on.
High school students in DD2 have 6 min. between classes. That means gocock's child is taking at least 14 min. to walk between classes. FDHS is not THAT big, y'all!
Every student and parent/guardian in DD2 signs a contract at the beginning of each school year, agreeing to abide by all school and district rules and policies. The contracts and policies are printed in the student handbooks/agendas and in separate student/parent information books. There is no excuse for not knowing the rules.
I guess gocock and his child are running hard and fast into DD2's progressive discipline policy, which goes from in-school suspension through out-of-school suspension, signed contracts between the student, parent, and the district, to hearings and expulsion.
And, yes, the schools are overcrowded. Yes, the Town of Summerville is overcrowded, too. So is the upper end of North Charleston in Dorchester County. The infrastructure is inadequate. It has been inadequate for many, many years. The developers have had North Charleston City Council, Town Council and County Council in their back pockets for too many years. Promises have been unwritten and unkept. Most of the developers, and several of the Council Members are not gentlemen.
Carpetbaggers and Scalawags are alive and prospering in the Lowcountry!
May 9, 2009 at 7:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
gococks1985 (anonymous) says...
OMGreally- yes, you are right....my kid does need to get to class on time. Fred-I have no problem with respect for authority nor have I passed that on. I have a child with special needs, but when that child does wrong, I contact the school and let them know that. I hold my child accountable for the actions that are created by him/her.
I answer with sir and ma'am to my parents, my elders, the teachers and staff, and anyone else that is deserving of that answer. I'm not a perfect parent in any way, shape or form, but I am consistent in my parenting. Unlike so many other parents who just hand everything over to their kids. I've done it by myself their entire life. Before you go saying...where's the baby daddy...they don't give a crap. I know when to ask for help and assistance and know when I can do it on my own. I work full time and don't ask for handouts.
The school has done nothing but put my child into iss until I, the parent, said we need to do more. I have every email sent and received for 2 years from the teachers and staff to prove this. I've had TWO staff members tell me that are on MY side for doing the RIGHT thing. If I have to go to court because of my child's actions, I will go in with my head held high knowing that I've done all that I can do to ensure that he/she is in school.
DD2's progressive discipline policy stinks and is not enforced the way it should be. They pick and chose when they want to enforce it, unless the parent says enough is enough. That is what I did!! I'm not one of those parents who thinks their kid is perfect and does no wrong. I've called the school on more than one occasions when my child has been missing from class.
That being said, you can take your assumptions and place them where the sun does not shine. I've done my part....and will continue to do so. Regardless of what you or anyone else says.
May 9, 2009 at 8:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
fred (anonymous) says...
gococks, I'm so sorry! I was wrong! Please forgive me.
Thank you for loving your child enough to do what's right consistently. You are the parent every good special ed teacher prays for. You are the parent teaching assistants love to work with. Teachers and assistants know your child will have homework done, be as ready as possible for school, and paperwork will come back to them on time and signed.
Have you worked with either ProParents in Columbia, SC or the Family Resource Center for Disabilities and Special Needs in Charleston? Both are run by a mix of volunteers and paid staff, and most of their services are free.
ProParents was a great help to me several years ago. I attended a workshop FRCDSN gave 2 years ago and learned a lot. Their office is West Ashley: 1575 Savannah Hwy, Suite 6. Phone: 766-1318. Website: www.frcdsn.org. To reach ProParents, I would Google ProParents of SC.
Again, I'm sorry I was a jerk.
May 9, 2009 at 9:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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