News

Committee to vote on what to do with deteriorating Boston school complex

BOSTON — Two Boston Public Schools are on the chopping block because the district says the buildings are deteriorating, but parents and even some teachers are upset students are going to be broken up.

Urban Science Academy and West Roxbury Academy on VFW Parkway are both under one roof, but that roof is crumbling.

"As it deteriorates, it crumbles, and that can create an unsafe environment as people walk in the building or new the building," said Charles Grandson, chief academic officer for BPS.

After ten years of patching the roof and other problems, district officials say it is time to demolish it and build a new one, but that process is a lengthy one and current students won't see a new building by the time they graduate.

If the plan is approved by the school committee, the schools will break up and students will transfer to other schools and while specialized programs like ESL and an autism inclusion program will stay together, but one of the program's director says it will still be tough on the kids.

"When you break up the specialized programs, you're breaking up the community and that's what's so beautiful about our community is that we're inclusive," said Allison Doherty.

"That's my concern. These kids gotta adjust to new environments with new kids from different backgrounds," said parent Carol King.

King's son has ADHD and a behavioral disorder, but has thrived at the school and is the center on the school's basketball team, thanks in part - she says - to teachers who understand him and stay on him.

She's worried he will have discipline problems at a new school.

"He has a hard time emotionally adjusting to new authority because that's his biggest issue - authority," King said.

Doherty thinks there's enough space at two other district schools to keep the schools together and move them, but the district says there are enough seats, but not enough classrooms for pullout time.

"This is something we have no choice but to do but it is an opportunity - a learning opportunity for us to work with students to say "these are the kinds of things that do happen in life" and how can we work them through that?" said Grandson.

The school committee will vote on the proposal Wednesday night and a large parent turnout is expected.