ROXBURY PREP WILL BE VALUABLE ASSET
March 21, 2019
To the Editor of THE BULLETIN:
I attended the BPDA hearing on Roxbury Prep’s high school project on Feb. 13 and was thrilled to see a large and diverse group of Roslindale residents and neighbors voicing their support for this project. I spoke up at that meeting about how I wished I’d had a charter school option close to home when my kids were in middle and high school. While there are some wonderful Boston Public School options, the lottery process is stressful and it would have been nice to have a high-quality public school option close to home. I believe Roxbury Prep will be a valuable asset to families who want their children to be educated in their community in a high quality academic setting.
The fact that this site is so well served by public transit is a huge plus. Students will be doing a reverse commute to school, utilizing the largely empty buses that already travel out Belgrade Ave every morning. With the commuter rail serving the site as well, and 90%of the student body using public transit, I just don’t see how traffic is a concern at all. Mass transit is better for the environment and reduces traffic congestion.
This is a win-win-win.
Lastly, I like the fact that the school will offer the use of its facilities to the community for events and gatherings. Overall, I think Roxbury Prep is a great match for Roslindale and I look forward to welcoming them to the neighborhood.
Our Response
The diverse group was not made up of residents of Roslindale residents. The majority of attendees were parents and students from the school who where encouraged to attend by the Administration of the school (UnCommon Schools) and its Public Relations Firm.
Regarding racial diversity, the current make up of the school is 57% African American and 40% Hispanic and 1% White. Given the LOTTERY and sibling priority, local children have very little chance of attending this Charter School.
The repeated PR quote of "90% of the students will take public transportation" is just not possible. There is simply no capacity for students to get to school on time . The Proposal states 25% of the students will take Commuter Rail (which does not offer a discount for those under 13 years of age) and 75% of the students will take the bus.
Despite marketing by the PR Firm, this is NOT a transit-oriented development.
The FACT IS the MBTA has no plans to change scheduling on the Commuter Rail, which does not stop at the Bellevue Station during school hours.
And the finite number of Buses (the routes of which are presented in a 2-year plan) will not be able to absorb an additional 500 people.
Lastly, there are (two) parking spaces assigned to the neighborhood for Community events. The Handicapped and Elderly will be left out, yet again.
SCHOOL CAN BEA REAL ASSET
To the Editor:
April 25, 2019
Welcoming Roxbury Prep to our neighborhood will add value to our community and benefit the city as a whole. A well-designed school with publicly accessible space can become a civic asset for the entire neighborhood. It can foster public life in a corridor that is currently car oriented. This school will offer much more value than he current use of the site. Additionally, transit-oriented development is critical if we, as a city, are serious about addressing climate change. Creating a more resilient neighborhood means building for a future that makes walking, biking and public transit the convenient choice. This school is a great example of building to this future as it’s served by the commuter rail and multiple bus lines. Boston’s high school students aren’t provided yellow buses, so access to public transportation is critical as well as environmentally sustainable. Finally, I believe in the importance of socio economic mixing and equity. Diversity and inclusion benefit the entire city. We need more mixed in-come, racially diverse schools and neighborhoods throughout Boston. This school will attract a diverse student body and staff to the West Roxbury/Roslindale neighborhood. This is something we should celebrate. I have two elementary-school-aged children who, without this school, will not have any opportunity to attend a public high school in our neighborhood.It is disappointing to see other neighbors put traffic woes over just about every-thing else. Cars don’t build community, people do. We must build toward the future we want for our neighborhoods and I believe Roxbury Prep is a great example of that.
Our Response
A well-designed, environmentally friendly building in an appropriate location would be an asset to any community.
Here though, the issue is not about climate change but about providing the students of Roxbury Prep the building they were promised.
The repeated PR quote of "90% of the students will take public transportation" is just not possible. There is simply no capacity for students to get to school on time . The Proposal states 25% of the students will take Commuter Rail (which does not offer a discount for those under 13 years of age) and 75% of the students will take the bus.
Despite marketing by the PR Firm, this is NOT a transit-oriented development.
The FACT IS the MBTA has no plans to change scheduling on the Commuter Rail, which does not stop at the Bellevue Station during school hours.
And the finite number of Buses (the routes of which are presented in a 2-year plan) will not be able to absorb an additional 500 people.
Regarding racial diversity, the current make up of the school is 57% African American and 40% Hispanic and 1% White. Given the LOTTERY and sibling priority, local children have very little chance of attending this Charter School. 1% of the current population is from Roslindale/West Roxbury.
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