| Seven Lincoln County parents filed suit Friday against the state Board of
Education, alleging its decision to close four high schools would "irreparably harm"
their children, according to anti-consolidation activist Thomas Ramey.
National experts are expected to testify in the case, according to Linda Martin of
Challenge WV. Martin said we intend to prove school consolidation does not
improve education, although she said the Lincoln school system needs to be
improved.
The State Board of Education ruled against the local school board in their
anti-consolidation efforts, although the Lincoln system has been taken over by the
state because of poor performance.
The suit, filed in Kanawha County Circuit Court, has some momentum to become a
landmark decision regarding school consolidation. For many parents in West
Virginia that wanted to keep their community schools, it may come too late.
Lincoln County parents want to block construction of a new $30
million, 800-student high school in Hamlin, the costliest school ever built in the
state.
Ramey said the consolidation plan would force children to endure long bus rides,
prevent students from participating in after-school activities and make it difficult
for parents to stay involved in schools.
Linda Martin of Challenge WV said the state has remained on the consolidation
bandwagon while most of America has been moving back to smaller, community
schools. She places much of the blame on former State Senator Lloyd Jackson,
who is now running for governor.
Martin has frequently questioned the ethics, behavior and decision making of the
State Board of Education, which has been plagued by problems, some linked to
wrongdoing and alleged stealing.
"If we can win this suit, and can prove it harms students, consolidation will be
dead in West Virginia," said Thomas Ramey, treasurer of Equal Educational
Opportunities.
The state school board seized control of Lincoln schools two years ago. It has
already voted to close the high schools â Harts, Hamlin, Guyan Valley and
Duval.
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