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The CEC decided to pass the resolution after a local elementary school learned that it would have to vacate some classrooms to make room for a small middle school in September.
The news resulted in parents and students holding several protests demanding that DOE reconsider its plan for P.S. 282, located at 180 Sixth Avenue, to share its building with the Khalil Gibran International Academy, which would be the city’s first Arabic-themed school.
If parents had been informed of the possibility that the Khalil Gibran Academy would be housed at P.S. 282 before the decision was made, there may have been less controversy and uproar from parents, said Mary-Powel Thomas, president of District 15’s CEC.
“There should really be a specific process laid out that they follow for community consultation. Then you would avoid all of these problems where people feel like something’s been dropped on them,” she said.
The council’s resolution notes, “New schools are frequently placed in buildings occupied by existing schools with no public hearing or consultation before the decision is essentially made.”
In P.S. 282’s case, the council contends, “This situation could have been avoided or at least significantly ameliorated with adequate prior public consultation since public comment often leads to an improved outcome because more issues are considered and addressed.”
The council suggested that a process similar to the city’s Uniform Land Use Review Procedure (ULURP) be implemented to give parents a chance to weigh in on plans to restructure schools.
Under ULURP guidelines, developers must present their plans to construct new buildings at a public hearing hosted by the local community board. The board can then vote on the plan and its decision is considered by the appropriate city agency with final oversight on the project.
“CEC 15 calls upon the DOE to immediately develop and institute a process of community consultation on the siting of new schools, such consultation to be held before a probable location is chosen,” the resolution states.
Education Department officials maintain that community outreach and parental involvement are key components of DOE functions.
Recently, schools Chancellor Joel Klein tried to make amends with outraged parents by attending local CEC meetings to discuss department reforms and answer questions from the public.
