OUR TRUE INTENTIONS

Amid the media firestorm concerning last night's events at the Webster Parish School Board Meeting, there have been questions raised about the intentions of our group of concerned citizens. An article that appeared in today's Shreveport Times, written by Vickie Welborn, has this to say:

A woman who stopped by the picketers to share her support admitted she is opposed to the consolidation plan because "it's just going to integrate the schools more and I'm not for it." She refused to give her name.

I am disappointed in this anonymous quote, and even more disappointed that it was printed in the first place. And I want to make certain that people understand something about us-- our group of concerned citizens has organized and begun to act because we do not feel that the WPSB took the consolidation of north Webster seriously. They did NOT research the effect that this hurried consolidation would make upon our schools, our communities, or our economy. And furthermore, our group is NOT motivated to take action because of skin color.

As a group of concerned citizens, we wish to allow everyone to know-- especially news media-- that we are NOT against consolidation. We are just asking for the same form of consolidation that is good enough for south Webster to be applied to the north end of our parish. We want to go with Superintendent Butch Williams' original plan, Option 3, that would COMBINE COTTON VALLEY, SHONGALOO, AND SAREPTA.

We LOVE our small schools. And by combining the three smallest schools on the north end of Webster Parish, we will maintain the small-school atmosphere that we treasure. By combining our three small schools, we will have graduating classes numbering somewhere between 60 and 70 kids per year. We feel that it would be better for our children, better for our communities, and better for our parish.