By John Midkiff, Guest Columnist
What I have seen in the meetings and presentations I have attended in Cherokee County regarding school consolidation has been eye-opening.
What makes sense to the parents, students and teachers at Murphy High School and surrounding areas is, of course, different from the majority in Hiwassee Dam or Andrews. Murphy will lose the least and have the most to gain from a new high school just down the road from the old one, or that’s what they believe.
School consolidation is supposed to fix budget shortfalls and create great schools. But does it? Or does it destroy a sense of community and adversely impact the local economy?
Proponents of school consolidation point to quality of education. When two or more small schools consolidate, the resulting school will be able to offer more courses and hire a more diverse faculty.
The ability to save money is another big selling point for school systems considering consolidation. When schools are consolidated, unused school buildings can be sold or used for other purposes, and utility and maintenance costs are reduced.
What they fail to recognize is that local communities identify themselves with their schools. Consolidation will
mean Hiwassee Dam and Andrews will lose their high schools. While saving money is a pro, the loss of the school becomes a con.
Parents want their children to attend the same small school they did, and students will have more opportunity to participate in all areas of school life. They fear their children will be lost in the larger consolidated school.
Some of the money saved as a result of consolidation is a result of cutting jobs. Small-town schools are often one of the largest employers in the town.
When a school closes, it can have a negative effect on the community. School workers who are laid off will face much stiffer competition for those same positions in the consolidated school and face a good chance of being overlooked.
Also, the money spent on schools is partially returned to the local community as school employees spend their salaries at local businesses. By shuttering smaller schools, consolidation takes that money out of the small-town community.
One of the reasons I chose to live in Cherokee County was the school near our home. The teachers and administrators are great, and our son felt an immediate connection (everyone knows his name). Having met many of the people in the Hiwassee Dam area, I was glad he would be going there for high school.
All other reasons aside, the commute by bus from our home to the new school will be about two hours each way. I find that unacceptable, as do many others.
When faced with that ride, more parents will opt for closer schools outside our area and more families will opt to move elsewhere. We need more families, not less, if we are to grow as a county.
The writer is a resident of Cherokee County.