Cuts 'devastating' to local schools

Alonso urges students to transfer from struggling city academy, asks board to close it this summer

"They're some of the most inspiring kids a teacher could ever ask to teach, going through the challenges they do to simply come to school every day," said Turner, who will stay at the school through the end of the year because he teaches seniors. "The majority of them should be seeking out higher education. They just need people to show them it's realistic, and it's not realistic in that setting."

The school has very few extracurricular activities and outside partnerships with organizations such as businesses and universities. Alonso said a school with a homeland security theme ought to have several partnerships with law enforcement agencies to help prepare students for law enforcement careers, but it does little to live up to its name. A partnership with the Police Department ended, and the Fire Department is in the process of pulling out.

Logistical challenges are another problem: The old Walbrook building has several entrances and exits. Because of fire code regulations, the school cannot lock any of them. As a result, students and outsiders are able to come and go. On a recent day, a school employee blocked off one entrance with crime-scene tape in an attempt to prevent students from leaving.

Ray Cook, who runs a mentoring program that he brought to Homeland Security as part of the recent attempt to restore order, said the move toward closing the school "should've been done a long time ago."

"It was just creating an unsafe environment for the children," Cook said. "Why should they be here if they're not going to get the things they need?"

THE HOMELAND SECURITY ACADEMY

History: Opened in 2005 as part of the breakup of Walbrook High School.

Enrollment: 575, including 126 seniors who will stay through the end of the school year.

Leadership: Five principals in the past four years.

Student performance: In 2008, the school's pass rates on the High School Assessments were 19% in English, 12% in algebra, 16% in biology and 33% in government.

What's next: Freshmen, sophomores and juniors at Homeland Security Academy and their parents are invited to two high school choice fairs to be held at the school: from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday and 8 a.m. to noon Tuesday.