PR: Plum Parents and Students to Protest at Plum School Board Meeting Tonight

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PLUM PARENTS AND STUDENTS TO PROTEST AT PLUM SCHOOL
BOARD MEETING TONIGHT

PLUM, PA (PittsburghNewsWire.com) — Already riddled with sex scandals and student intimidation, Plum School Board has gone back on their vote.  Parents, teachers, students and community members have had enough of an indecisive school board, favoritism  and their voting based on infighting, and political posturing rather than in the interest of the students, the school district and the community.

In a show of support for Plum students and the welfare of their school district, parents, students and community members will be at Plum Senior High School prior to the School Board meeting to demand accountability from board members.

At a time when we should be rebuilding as a community, the Plum School Board has gone back on their vote to rebuild Regency Park Elementary School!

On March 31, 2015, the Plum School Board voted to build a new Regency Park Elementary School.  On June 23, 2015, the board denied the needed approval to advertise for an Act 34 (which requires a public hearing for a new building).  This delays the project and could also mean that a new Regency Park School will not be built.

No Plans for the Future
This means there is no permanent plan as to where children will go to school.  Due to rushed redistricting, the old Regency Park is no longer big enough to accommodate all students.  And the other elementary schools are nearing their capacity.  For the upcoming school year, Regency Park children will attend the old Holiday Park School.  Due to age, that school is slated to be torn down and is not a permanent solution.  After next year, the School Board does not have a plan for where the children will attend school, and the district will have no room for growth.

A school closure affects all Plum residents.
Without the presence of a school, home values may decrease up to nine percent and selling a home in the plan could become difficult.  If a school is not built, there is no plan for that area after the demolition is complete.  It is just a vacant lot in this neighborhood

A School Board that puts pressure and politic before students and district
Sal Colella, school board President in January stated:  “We would have had the whole enchilada if we had a tax increase, (A lack of a tax increase) exposes the taxpayers to long-term higher taxes,”…and in March voted against that tax increase.

Michelle Stepnick wrote “Unfortunately it’s a game with our board. This past month they took a gamble and lost on a couple key issues. Our children will never recover from what 6 of our member did with taxes. I’m embarrassed to say I have to sit with many of them. All I can say is I will keep fighting.”

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