Report Inappropriate Comments

Anyone who attending these hearings could easily see that the closing of a Junior High was a done deal even before the committee met. The real issue revolved around which school to close. Gorton has larger cafeteria, auditorium and wider hallways. In fact, anyone who has visited both schools would come away with the impression that it's actually brighter inside Gorton. The real estate Gorton sits on has no value to the City of Warwick, yet Aldrich sits on considerably valuable property that could be sold as a benefit to the taxpayers of Warwick. Additionally, the most recent state test scores has Gorton students out-performing Aldrich students indicating that the methodology used at Gorton is being effective. In fact, Gorton's cohort growth from 7th to 8th grade, especially in the area of math, has been noteworthy! And more importantly, Gorton sits right next to an partially empty school allowing for expandability if needed and possibly a place to house the lost computer lab. Other than the fact that Mr. Bushel indicated that he feels Aldrich is in better shape, the is NO measurable data that would indicate that closing Gorton is the best option. Actually, Mr. Bushel's evidence for choosing to close Gorton would not pass the smell test for reliable data. Most data and evidence shows that closing Aldrich would be more evidence-based. I challenge the Warwick Beacon to press the committee to use evidence and data to make good decisions for Warwick's children and not rely on the personal "gut" feelings when making such a monumental decision.