A resurrected plan to consolidate schools in southern Albemarle County has neighbors in Scottsville riled up. Scottsville District Supervisor Chris Dumler broke the news at a town hall meeting at Horseshoe Bend Bistro Thursday night.
The county's school board is looking at closing at least one school in the county's southern end. Redhill Elementary, Scottsville Elementary, or Yancey Elementary could be on the chopping block.
It's a plan Dolores Rogers has heard before. "They can't have it. It's ours," she said.
Rogers calls the idea criminal. "Scottsville schools, our churches, and our post office are the heart, soul, and backbone of our community," she said. "They promised us. We believed them. They can't have our school."
Dumler says the county school system's long range plan once again calls for consolidating the schools to save money. He says Yancey Elementary is most at risk, but he's against it.
"It's the zombie that keeps coming back," Dumler said. "You have to shoot it in the head before it finally dies."
Thursday night, he assured constituents he'd try to stop it.
"North Garden, and Esmont, and Scottsville all have very distinct rural identities," Dumler said. "They have their own school, and that's important for lifelong learning. It's important for education. Children learn better when they're in those kinds of environments."
The idea has come up before multiple times, and each time, it's been defeated. Rogers vows to make that happen once more.
"I'm so tired of fighting the same battle over and over and over," Rogers said. "Anytime Albemarle County needs money, they go, ‘oh let's get it off the country bumpkins in southern Albemarle.'"
The school board has the final say on what happens with this plan. They're expected to take a closer look at that proposal sometime this fall.
