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Residents and students urge board to let neighborhood students attend closer high school
Summary
Three speakers told the School Board of Alachua County that a proposed rezoning would bus students who live within walking distance to a farther high school, harming students' punctuality, extracurricular participation and adding bus costs; they asked the board to revise the map to allow neighborhood attendance.
Three speakers during public comment asked the School Board of Alachua County to reverse a proposed rezoning that would assign their street to a more distant high school rather than the nearer neighborhood school.
Lehi Ortega, who said the family lives within walking distance of the nearer high school, told the board the rezoning “disregards the significant impact on students and parents” and called the change a waste of county funds. Olivia Wood, who identified herself as an AP student, said the longer busing route causes late buses and harms learning: “As a student, I have seen the negative effects late buses have on learning, as many of my classmates are often late to 1st period class due to a late bus, will miss tests and fall behind.” Isabel Wood, a rising junior and AP student, said the extra travel distance would curtail her ability to participate in clubs and extracurriculars at her nearby school.
The commenters repeatedly urged the board to allow students living within walking distance — cited in testimony as two miles or less — to attend the closer high school shown on district maps. The board received the public comments during the tentative budget hearing; members thanked the speakers but proceeded to the scheduled budget presentation and votes.
The speakers named the affected schools as shown on the distributed rezoning maps and described increased transportation time, cost and reduced extracurricular participation as primary harms. The board did not take an immediate, separate action on zoning during this special meeting.
