Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Criticism of the governor's school district consolidation plan on Tuesday came as sharply from students as it has from educators, as students interviewed in several central Maine towns expressed concerns that schools would lose their identities and students would have fewer opportunities for sports competition under the governor's plan.

Gov. John E. Baldacci's plan would cut the number of school districts from 290 to 26 and the number of superintendents from 152 to 26.

While most students recognized a need to cut costs, some questioned whether Baldacci's plan would reduce taxes as much as he has projected.

Others predicted it would cause unnecessary complications.

"I think it's too drastic," said Waterville Senior High School senior Sarah Margolis. "I agree with consolidation to a point, but I disagree with how much money (Baldacci) says it's going to create."

In School Administrative District 9, which educates students from Vienna, students having lunch at Mt. Blue High School in Farmington voiced similarly strong opinions.

"It's a bad idea, because then all the schools in Franklin County would have to have the same rules and be the same. The only good thing would be the taxes," junior Marissa Allen said. "The focus should be on teachers and getting us more money for books."

Mt. Blue sophomore Nicholas Beach said he is afraid the arts would take a big cut.

"SAD 9 has a great music department, and some other schools don't," he said. "If this proposal goes through, and they make all the schools equal, our programs could be cut and the money used to improve other schools' programs. It would stifle creativity."

Twenty-five miles away in Skowhegan, students at Skowhegan Area High School were discussing the same topic.

"I don't like it at all," junior Rikki Pease said. "I like being from a small school where everybody knows everybody. I've known the same kids since elementary school."

A sophomore at the same school, Matt Libby of Norridgewock, said the proposal would make it easy to get lost.

"It just seems like such a small number," he said. "It won't give enough attention to the smaller schools."

Junior Melissa Hancock of Mercer said she worries that many high school athletes would not be allowed to compete if so many school districts are consolidated.

"I don't really think this is a good idea," she said. "What about sports? Could a Forest Hills hockey player come here? It would be a mess."

In Oakland, Messalonskee Middle School students expressed similar doubts.

Seventh-grader Molly Ayotte of Sidney said she doesn't like the thought of radical change that consolidation would probably bring.

"I don't think it's a good idea," she said. "I like our school just the way it is, and I think we should stay away from each other."

Eighth-grader Josh Smith, also of Sidney, echoed the concerns of several other students about the fate that sports teams would see in the proposal.

"If you're bringing together a lot of schools like Waterville and Winslow, you'll do away with a lot of rivalries," Smith said.

Staff writers Betty Jespersen, Craig Crosby and Larry Grard contributed to this report.