In any event, the school board's decision to reject the proposal to expand Loch Raven doesn't end the dispute. With neither the expansion nor a commitment to build a new high school, overcrowding remains - at Loch Raven, Perry Hall, Towson and other schools.
With Smith adamant that a new high school isn't warranted, Marks said parents are basically going to be "running the clock" and looking toward working with whomever comes next - the county executive has only two more years in office because of term limits. "Most immediately," Marks said, "we'll be talking to folks running for county executive."
There's no guarantee that Smith's successor will be someone who favors new construction. But the overcrowding issue has obviously ignited quite a storm. Parents say the county can't continue renovating and expanding aging schools, and needs to commit to building new ones.
The cost of new schools is always cited, and, to be sure, the expense of building new schools is undeniable - although renovating and adding on to old ones are no bargain, either. Advocates say the county needs to address these funding issues and consider things such as impact fees that other counties levy on developers, which would go toward school construction.
With some schools straining at the seams - those "451" signs that advocates have placed in windows refers to the total number of students over capacity at Rodgers Forge, Hampton, Stoneleigh and Riderwood elementary schools - the county is past due on addressing the problem. Good schools - and that means ones that aren't so crowded that students are spilling out into portables - are vital to any area that wants to attract families and job-producing businesses.
Yes, schools are expensive to build, until you consider the cost of not building them.
jean.marbella@baltsun.com
