There already IS a new state of the art school in the heart of a black community...Stratton. Why is Imani Bazzell saying that other children will be getting two such schools while the black community essentially goes without? Stratton is like a Barkstall north of University Avenue. MOST children in this district don't have a Stratton in their neighborhood! Go ahead and take more legal action, despite the fact that the Boulder Ridge site satisfies the consent decree AND considers the financial logistics of a district that is under dire financial constraints from trying to satisfy the consent decree. Spending is not unlimited just because there is a consent decree in place. It has reached the point of having to go to tax payers for more money. Launching more legal action against Unit4 will serve ALL children of this district most well, won't it. Continue to drain this community financially and watch people leave with the very tax dollars you're after. It's already happening.

Posted by Lotte on March 18, 2006 at 11:57 AM Suggest Removal

I think that it is interesting that there is now opposition from both the extreme right, opposed to any taxation to 'invest in the community' AND the group which feels slighted by the location of Boulder Ridge, practically in Mahomet.

If the referendum does not pass, it will be a VERY bleak day for the school district which should be one of the pillars of our community. As extremists on both ends of the political spectrum up in arms over the issue of the size of the budget, the electorate will not have an opportunity to vote on what is MOST needed out of the referendum-- critical maintenance that needs to be done on the schools that the community already has. I do not feel that the Boulder Ridge location was very well considered and the lack of dialogue on such a sensitive subject is very alarming. At the same time, it is a VERY logical location given the fact that land in C-U is available in every direction, outside of town.

ALL of the schools should be looked upon as an asset of the whole community and it is our responsibility to maintain them together. If we the electorate fail to act responsibly and support maintaining those community assets we already have, the 'cost' in the long run will be far higher and we will all share the costs of abandoning this responsibility as the schools go down the tubes which will likely have negative, long-term consequences for property values all over town.

Posted by MrHappy23 on March 18, 2006 at 3:37 PM Suggest Removal

I wish he media would quit refering to Imani Bazzell and her compatriots as community activists (although this story actually just said "activist"). She is not speaking for the community, she is speaking for a special interest group. The members of the school board are the true community activists--they ran for and were elected to their positions. They look at issues from all sides before making a decision tht is good for the WHOLE community. Ms. Bazzell's push to extend the referendum is further evidence of her lac of concern for the entire Unit 4 community. As a Unit 4 parent, she should be as sickened as the rest of us to think tht $2,000,000/yr is being spent on legal fees instead of our children. Asking for an extension is irresponsible and reprehnsible. When Ms. Bazzell becomes a member of the board, then she will have the right to be considered a "community activist". Let's hope she learns the meaning of the word community first.

Posted by teacher on March 18, 2006 at 9:35 PM Suggest Removal

People in Champaign need not look beyond our state borders to see the problems that can arise from mismanaged planning and community relations in the school district. Perhaps the News-Gazette can remind us all of what happened in Rockford and what the outcome has been. It might be sobering and broaden the perspective. Aren't factors such as the quality of education, student:teacher ration, collegiate placing, and extracurricular activies more important than physical location? Champaign is still small enough (unlike Rockford) that even the longest trek across town only takes a few minutes. Let's not forget how close we are here and that we are all connected in this community. Let's keep the focus on the most important issues.

Posted by Seykick on March 20, 2006 at 11:11 AM Suggest Removal

Isn't it ironic that Savoy would like to keep the buses of MTD out (for reasons that are probably a little more sinister than what is claimed) yet more than welcomes the tax dollars of the neighboring community to build a new school there ?

Posted by NoSchool4U on March 22, 2006 at 8:50 AM Suggest Removal