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Working it backwards: school district lines
Contrary to somewhat popular belief, there was more to the building of new schools than simply supporting area education. Specifically, those opposing the building plans as presented were concerned with other aspects than simply constructing two new schools. For some reason, those in favor blindly assumed the matter solely rested on whether the county residents supported education or not. As will soon be seen, one of the bigger issues, that of determining new district lines, will likely present heartburn to many on both sides of the issue.
When looking at the total equation, one might think the determining of district lines should have been addressed sooner rather than later. Actually, it probably should have been one of the top priorities when deciding where the new schools would be built. Such as life though, strong emotions outweighed, perhaps, the correct route to proper construction. Emotional yearnings have a way of taking us over sometimes. To be appreciated, these yearnings do come from the very heart of individuals. However, common sense and vision should be kept in check.
I’m not trying to deflect from the accomplishments of the communities involved or to make light of any individual’s efforts in securing new school buildings in Arlington or Milroy. The point really is to inform on what may well happen when things are completed in a backward manner. The results may become a reflection of what has happened to this county as a whole in that it has slowly fallen apart from lack of future insight among other things. In this case, what’s done is done and whether the entire matter turns out for better or worse, something can be learned either way. The news school buildings will merely serve as a model for my remaining thoughts and for ideas presented to me from fellow Rush County residents.
On the mind of many people is the reasoning behind the conclusion that the new buildings must be placed near the same locations as the ones currently in use. Rush County had schools to serve students in other locations of the county just slightly over 20 years ago. Due to the cost of maintaining all county schools and falling enrollment, it was decided to combine schools by allegedly keeping open the ones that were in better shape. This decision routed most New Salem students to Milroy and most Homer and Manilla students to Arlington. When taken into consideration, perhaps logic might have led to new schools being constructed in a more central location for all involved.
As for the current site of the southernmost new school: As a selling point, it was stated that new schools would help attract new residents to the county. If this is true then why build a new school in such an obscure location, completely out of sight from passersby on the main road. Instead of placing it down a back street of a small town and in a field, wouldn’t the attraction have best been accomplished by finding land on State Road 3 where visibility and easy bus access could be possible?
As for the westernmost new school: Enrollment numbers were already an issue so what would truly be the point of rebuilding in the same area? Would the redrawing of district lines at the beginning have helped to find a location to better serve the students in that area of the county? Many people think so and many people I spoke with would like it to be known that the controversy over building new schools had less to do with costs and more to do with the rhyme or reason of the entire process.
As stated though, what’s done is done. We will have to live with what we have and therein remains the problem. When any part of a process falls off center, the entire process is in jeopardy. That’s why many plans fail — whether it’s in securing jobs, in planning for the future, promoting economic growth, or in making any crucial community-based decisions. When they fail, we are simply left to live with what we have until time and/or new vision leads us somewhere else.
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