What most folks miss in any metaphorical David and Goliath match is that Goliath almost always wins. What made the Biblical battle so unique was that an inexperienced youth vanquished a war-hardened giant of a man with a simple, well-placed, sling-shotted stone. That rarely happens in real life.
Recently we saw a local David and Goliath battle when the parents and students of New Windsor Middle School attempted to take on the mighty county Board of Education. In the end it proved to be "no contest" as the board easily got its way and voted to close the school in the 2016-17 school year, despite passionate pleas and well-constructed arguments. However, a rematch is looming because 54 county residents, primarily from New Windsor and Union Bridge, have filed an appeal with the Maryland State Board of Education to have the decision over-turned, and they have mustered an arsenal of stones.
The citizens charge that the board's decision is arbitrary, unreasonable and illegal. It is arbitrary and unreasonable because Superintendent Stephen Guthrie, when comparing North Carroll High with the newer Manchester Valley High said, "It would be illogical to close the more modern school." He also cited aging facilities as the reason for closing Charles Carroll Elementary. Yet, New Windsor Middle opened in 1995 while East Middle, once Westminster's old high school building, dates to 1936 and is far from being a paragon of modernity. So why not close the aging East Middle and redistrict all Westminster in-city residents to West Middle? Then the outlying students who are now bused into Westminster could be sent to New Windsor, Northwest, Shiloh and North Carroll middle schools.
Guthrie also sought to preserve East Middle because it is home to the regional BEST (Behavioral Educational Support Team) program. However, New Windsor Middle is the host school for the regional Autism Spectrum Disorders program. If East Middle closed, the BEST program could easily be relocated a few blocks away to West Middle School. But with the closing of New Windsor Middle, autistic children might now be bused to Shiloh Middle, Northwest Middle or Mount Airy Middle, all many miles away from students' homes. Anyone who knows anything about autistic children can appreciate how difficult this sudden change, and the lengthy bus ride, will be for them. There are also inherent dangers and liability considerations in transporting autistic children over such distances.
Guthrie also contradicted himself when he championed the re-assignment of North Carroll High students to Manchester Valley High because the change "will allow the communities [of Hampstead and Manchester] to retain their historic relationship and sense of community." Does he not understand that for many residents, New Windsor Middle has long been the heart and soul of the town and the reason they decided to move there? Its closing threatens the viability of the whole community by relegating it to "also ran" status; to being the only incorporated town in the county without its own school. The building is more than just a collection of classrooms. It is an essential locus for community sports and recreation, archaeological digs, art classes, meetings, and even the seasonal distribution of clothing to the needy.
If you want to play the numbers game, it's true that New Windsor's enrollment falls below 400, but the school is at 92 percent capacity and was never built to hold the board's optimal but arbitrary number of 750.
Perceptions count, and it is worth noting that those who have the good fortune of living in the county seat are more equal than others and will be untouched by the board's decision. However, for those in the "boonies" it is a different matter, and they smell the scent of elitism and raw power. More to the point, the decision impacts three of the county's more diverse yet economically disadvantaged municipalities — New Windsor, Union Bridge and Taneytown. Over a quarter of New Windsor Middle's students receive free or discounted lunch, and many of their parents live a hard scrabble existence. The pressures of daily life tend to attenuate their wishes and mute their voices when it comes to big decisions like closing schools. That's why the 54 citizens who have decided not to take "no" for an answer are to be admired and encouraged.
I wish them well with their appeal. At the very least, a few of their well-targeted "stones" might give the giant something to think about.
Frank Batavick writes from Westminster. His column appears Fridays. Email him at fjbatavick@gmail.com.
