CHALLENGE WV MONITORING GILMER SCHOOL ISSUES
Challenge WV fellows (L to R) Lorelei Scarbro, Jana Freeman and Thomas Ramey (Executive Director) among other representatives and video recorders, attended the Gilmer School board meeting where Superintendent Ed Toman was not rehired
About 150 school personnel and citizens took sides in a heated controversy over school consolidation
Challenge WV fellows and videographers attended a Gilmer County school board meeting where Superintendent Ed Toman was not re-hired. The supporters of keeping three community schools open; Normantown, Sand Fork, and Troy; voted against the rehiring, as reflected in the 3 to 2 vote.
The issue has split the community.
Challenge WV executive director Thomas Ramey said that his group will be carefully monitoring the situation.
Toman supports closure of the schools based on structural problems and what he contends is the county’s inability to afford them.
The meeting, attended by about 150 Gilmer teachers, their families, and students’ parents, was much quieter than an earlier meeting had been with the presence of law enforcement.
Ramey said that some Gilmer board members whom support community schools received wide vote margins.
“We have said for many years there is little if any evidence that consolidation has saved money. In nearly all instances, it has cost more while frequently thrusting children as young as age four on long bus rides” said Ramey.
“Furthermore, there is little evidence that larger schools improve curriculum or outcomes” he concluded.
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