Guest Commentary on new middle school for BCC Cluster

Yesterday the board of education voted to create a new middle school in the Bethesda-Chevy Chase cluster--ostensibly to relieve overcrowding at Westland Middle School and to make those poor kids at North Chevy Chase Elementary School get the same level of education.  

However, during the process the one school that was left out of the process was Rock Creek Forest Elementary (RCFES)--their concerns as voiced by Amanda Waugh (RCFES parent representative) at a recent Board meeting were not addressed.  The board voted last night to create the new middle school without meeting with RCFES at all.

The real story seems not to be overcrowding, but that many Westland Middle School parents do not want the socioeconomic and racial diversity that RCFES brings with it.

Rock Creek Forest

African American: 18.2

Hispanic: 23.2

White:  52.9

North Chevy Chase

African American 12.9

Hispanic  9.6

White71.1

Somerset

African American: 5.8

Hispanic:  6.5

White:  74.0

Elizabeth Colson

Amanda Waugh Testimony