FRANKLIN, Tenn.- Board members from the Franklin Special School District voted 5 to 1 Monday night to adopt a new redistricting plan designed to balance students based on income and socioeconomic status.
The approved plan, called Scenario 10, created five newly drawn school zones and will be implemented next school year, in August 2012. Scenario 10 was found to the least disruptive plan offered to the board, relocating 270 kindergartners through eighth grade students.
This fall will be the first time Franklin Special School District has been rezoned since 1994. Whether they liked the plan or not, board members agreed the new boundaries were long overdue.
One father at the meeting Monday night was not happy with the fact that school board members admitted Scenario 10 isn't the best plan, only the best plan for now.
"I said it's a shame that the board knows there a better plan, but that they don't want to make that because they are scared of change," said Philip McCutchan. "Because they are scared to affect people, that's the hardest thing about this process is to hear the chairwoman say that. She knows there is a plan that is more ideal, that fits better, but they voted for the plan that was easier,"
Director of Schools David Snowden defended the plan, as the least disruptive.
"Do you disrupt 1,000 families, or 1,000 kids, or do you disrupt less than 300?" Snowden challenged. "Will it meet the immediate goal next year? No. But it has a real possibility of the next year completely balancing it. So, I think it a matter of opinion on whether or not you want it to happen and you want to disrupt 1,000 kids or less than 300"
