By: Delaney McGuire
Carter County Times
The prospect of school consolidation between East and West Carter has recently been entertained by the new superintendent of schools Dr. Paul Green during a half-time radio interview. Green explained that with School Recovery funds available from the state, the district could, with state money and their full bonding capacity, have access to anywhere from $60 to $80 million for a new facility.
He believes this issue is one the district needs to consider now, and now is the time to do it if it is to be done.
While some believe this decision could improve our county on multiple levels, others are more on the fence and have their doubts. But how do the students feel?
Many believe merging the two schools would hold benefits for everyone.
According to East Carter student Sarah Jo Callihan, “With the amount of money we’d be receiving, we’d be able to afford more academic opportunities like providing more dual credit classes and offering more clubs. It would bring opportunities for different sports such as theater, dance, swimming team, and lacrosse. By combining these two schools, it would allow Carter County to be more involved in the community, with a bigger crowd of students to reach out to.”
Maci Moore, one of East Carter’s leading athletes, is on the fence about the move.
“I think it would be a hard transition,” Moore says. “The rivalry between East and West Carter could complicate the merger, which is something that students might not be willing to give up. But I do believe that it would benefit us and bring more opportunities to our county.”
“We have to think about how the change would affect everyone,” Chloe Shelton said. “Would it be too much to ask for students who live on the far side of the county such as Rush, Willard, etc. to drive an additional ten to 15 minutes to get to school every day? Would their parents be able to accommodate for this? I see the benefits, but there are some setbacks to consider.”
On the other hand, many students believe the merger would do more harm than good.
“It’s very inconvenient,” Ashtyn Oney said. “Finding land right in the middle of both schools that everyone agrees on will be a difficult decision. It would increase traffic backup, which is already something that both schools struggle with alone, and when it comes to the rivalry, I feel like it’ll be hard to focus on academics.”
Riley Stewart also had mixed feelings on the merger.
“I think the merge could be beneficial, but at the same time could bring disadvantages to some. It would offer a better campus, yes, but could also hold students back academic and sports-wise who must travel from farther locations,” Stewart said.
Nonetheless, the idea is certainly something that students might have to consider. If approved, Green said he is ready to help implement the plan moving forward as soon as possible. But for now, both students and the rest of our community will have to wait and see what the next step is.
Contact the writer at news@cartercountytimes.com
