Oklahoma City plan to close five schools raises criticism

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Parents, teachers and some educators are criticizing a plan that would close five Oklahoma City schools this fall. <br><br>The plan was presented at Monday's school board meeting

Tuesday, March 26th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ Parents, teachers and some educators are criticizing a plan that would close five Oklahoma City schools this fall.

The plan was presented at Monday's school board meeting and the board could vote on it by next week.

Superintendent Bill Weitzel said the plan expands some of the district's successful programs and breaks up some low-performing schools. It's also intended to save more than $5 million for the district and soften a $20 million budget cut expected next year.

Students and teachers at some of the closed schools as well as other schools would be moved. The plan would affect 22 schools.

Weitzel and other administrators said it touches only those schools planned for closure anyway.

Star Elementary Principal Ricki Kelly said she didn't know before Monday that the plan would split her students between four schools.

``I'm concerned about what happens to the staff, students, parents at all of the schools involved in the changes,'' Kelly said. ``I think they have a right to know the details of the changes.''

Parent Suzette Haywood told the board that the plan seems to disproportionately affect northeast Oklahoma City, and questioned whether it was being implemented too fast.

``It is not right, it is not fair and you would not want it done to you,'' Haywood said.

State Rep. Opio Toure called the plan unacceptable and said the cuts aren't applied equitably across the district. Ted Metscher, president of the local teachers union, criticized the board for failing to consult the union about staffing changes and said district officials are ``crushing people.''

Administrator Brian Staples said attrition and turnover will probably keep the district from resorting to teacher layoffs.

Weitzel said the school closings would be part of a larger budget-cutting plan that also could include cutting at least three or four of the district's 10 area administrators.