State lawmakers reactions are mixed upon learning of the Delaware Department of Education’s letter to the Christina School District.
Sen. Bryan Townsend (D-Newark), a critic of the state’s Priority Schools plan, says he’s optimistic that DOE is willing to talk about redrawing the district’s borders.
Townsend notes that’s the best option going forward.
“The option of engaging in very serious, very deep conversations about restructuring the school district lines in a way that better serves our school kids and doesn’t have school kids waking up at god-awful, early hours and taking buses 15, 20 miles away from their community," said Townsend.
But Rep. John Kowalko (D-South Newark) says he doesn’t see it as a true olive branch in what has been a contentious debate since the Priority Schools plan was unveiled in September.
“Maybe it’s an olive branch, but really it has thorns and that disturbs me," Kowalako told Delaware Public Media. "That’s the way it’s been conducted since September when they went and stood on the steps of Warner Elementary School [to announce the plan]. This has been a concerted effort to force people to the precipice.”
Kowalko also notes the deadline set for district officials to make their decision falls during a legislative break, thereby leaving the General Assembly out of the equation despite opposition to the Priority Schools initiative from several lawmakers.