East Hillsborough school zoning raises concerns

Parents in East Hillsborough are gearing up for what could be a contentious meeting Tuesday to discuss a planned school rezoing in the FishHawk area.

District leaders have posted a plan to move students in eight neighborhoods. The changes, intended to relieve crowded conditions at Barrington and Randall middle schools, would also affect Mann, Rodgers, Giunta and Mulrennan middle schools.

In a series of emails to the Tampa Bay Times, parents raised a number of issues. The group, who included an elementary teacher, questioned whether the changes are a stop-gap measure that will be followed by more changes, disrupting students and families.

“We are very concerned that there will not be enough time for transition between the schools and that this massive change will lead to transportation, traffic and safety issues,” wrote parent Lori Felegy.

Other complaints in the emails and in an online petition with hundreds of signatures: That students are being moved from A to C schools, that friendships will be disrupted, and that they thought they knew what schools their children would attend when they moved into their homes. Some in the petition group said their property values could suffer if school boundaries change.

Tuesday’s meeting is at 6 p.m. at Rodgers Middle School, 11910 Tucker Road in Riverview. A second meeting is planned at 6 p.m. on Jan. 8, also at Rodgers.

These are some of the arguments presented by those who signed the petition:

• John Caldwell: “To protect my kids right to attend the “A” school he is currently attending.”
• Stefanie Hamby: “We moved here for the school district and love our house! Do not want to move again and my boys love their schools!”
• Aimee Whiteside: “A bit of research shows far better ways to resolve the overcrowding issues that will impact fewer families in the areas of greater growth. I’m greatly disappointed in our school board members for the lack of research, data, and transparency in this process. We deserve better.”
• Christine Butler: “We are congested enough. Stop changing our lives with unnecessary moves that impact our neighborhood! Our lives are important and so are our children.”
• Brittany Brading: “Moved to this area only for our kids to attend Randall and Newsome.”
• Analissa Davis: “My kids both attend Mulrennan and now they’re trying to propose rezoning to Mann. This is not in the interests of the kids.”
• John Tudek: “I believe in local school boards run by locals.”
• Shweta Talwani: “He is in accelerated math and science program and rezoned program does not have those. I am strongly oppose to this move. The kids who are already in school should be grand fathered and allowed them to finish middle school without and disruption.”
• Jill Ryan: “River Hills has been used over and over by the county to fix overcrowding or to fill a school before the neighborhood around it is built. First, River Hills went to Bloomingdale. Then,our children were sent to Turkey Creek and Durant. When Randall and Newsome needed students, the county looked to River Hills again. Fish Hawk wasn’t built yet-at least, not to a point to have enough students. Here we are once again. The county wants to send our children to Mulrennan and Durant. We are tax payers and have been told that our children would go to Randall and Newsome.. We’ve been told that. That’s where they should go."
• Adela Reinke: “My children currently attend Mulrennan and we love it but it is definitely packed enough. I also do not want my children moved to Mann to make room for Randall kids.”
• Amanda Miller-Stunkel: “We just moved from Missouri in June and choose to move to Twin Lakes so our daughter could go to Randall and Newsome. She has been behind in her learning and has thrived at Randall, has self esteem again. I truly worry that she would be left behind and she would not be as successful as she would lose the mental confidence. It was already hard to make the transition in 6th grade for any student and this is an important time to build and create trust with friends and adults. They don’t adjust well with too much change. With all of the mental health issues these kids already have to face to change their comfort zone would be devastating. I heard from her and her friends they feel safe at Randall. Please do NOT change the boundaries.”