Monday's vote at the Southern Tioga School District board meeting to close Liberty High School is a decision that will affect us for years to come and in many ways. What it boils down to is that five people have decided what will happen to our children, our children's education and our money.
The board has listened to many views from the people of this district, but somehow all the words have fallen on deaf ears. It leaves me wondering if there is a hidden reason for being bent on rebuilding NPHS and closing LHS? Have they really listened to any reason?
It's not that I don't want to see Blossburg have their high school, but it should not happen at the expense of the schools in Liberty. The public has not seen the complete plan for rebuilding NPHS, or a time line, or breakdown of costs including retrofitting LHS. How can the board make a decision of this magnitude without all of the components in place? Doing so spells disaster and the people will be left with a phenomenal debt. Closing LHS will cause enormous chaos in this district and possibly break it apart! When something is working, don't mess it up.
In many opinions, the better plan would be to close the school that is in the most disrepair (North Penn High School) and temporarily move these high school students to Liberty and Mansfield until a better location is established for a central high school.
Baiba Kreger, Ph.D.
Liberty
Submitted by Virtual Newsroom
