GREENSBORO, FL (WTXL) -- Another community meeting, another big turnout as Gadsden County residents continue to oppose a proposal to reconfigure public schools.
Monday night at West Gadsden High School was the fourth public forum in a series of meetings organized by the Gadsden County School Board to address concerns about plans to consolidate.
"How many of our kids have to be hurt, killed or maimed -- so that your plan of putting these kids together come through?" said Chattahoochee resident Tina Henry.
"If you create this disruption in their lives," said Julissa Brown, who works with Capital City Youth Services, "we're bound to get more referrals for depression and anxiety because of the transition."
But this time, some suggested ways to bring compromise.
"Students now are being bussed from St. John's and Gretna to East Gadsden," said Frances Brown, who also lives in Chattahoochee. "Why can't those kids come here? They're going across the county!"
"Every time we want change, we resist the change," said Gloria Matos, a teacher at Greensboro Elementary School. "But we need to know, 'What is better for the students?'"
Despite the superintendent's assurance that safety is a priority, others have their doubts.
"When you're looking at mileage distance that's putting on the parents, and a lot of parents in Gadsden County don't have transportation," Shirley Brown, a Chattahoochee resident.
"When our babies get over there, our babies are not going to be recognized, because everything, to me, is being focused and turned to East Gadsden," said Henry. "It's nothing for the west side."
The school board admits it doesn't have to do anything with the proposal, but over the past several meetings, the message has been the same -- change must happen in order to improve public education in Gadsden County.
The next meeting will be this Thursday at 6 p.m. at James A. Shanks Middle School.
