30-04-2025
'Dear school board' RCSD Students ask district leaders to consider their needs
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC)- An overflow crowd of mostly students filled a Rochester City School District conference room during Tuesday's meeting.
Young and old pleaded with school board members to reverse plans to restructure Andrew Langston Middle School next year. The school was just renamed after the longtime business leader and owner of WDKX as part of a reconfiguration plan last year.
In that time, parents, teachers, students and community leaders say the partnership with the black-owned radio station has been transformational.
'Dear school board, I would like to know why Andrew Langston Middle School is getting cut in half', asked one student.
Classmates and teachers encouraged the young speakers, some of whom were visibly nervous about sharing their thoughts publicly, but one by one they explained why they needed the board to keep the school, its teachers and student body together.
Parents and community leaders shared all the positive changes that have taken place in the past year, from the creation of a school pantry to a podcasting program and art classes. The speakers expressed concern that the district in an effort to save money would move the school to a new building and reduce the number of teachers assigned to that middle school.
Also speaking to the board tonight were community members opposed to a recent decision to cancel an annual field trip to Canada as part of the Camp Pathfinder program.
Some one hundred students from World of Inquiry, Padilla and Wilson High Schools were reportedly notified this week that the trip was not approved. Among the concerns expressed, the risk of crossing the border for students who are not U.S. citizens.
'The decision feels rushed', one student told the school board members.
Parents and former participants pleaded with the board to allow parents to decide whether or not to allow their children to participate.
'If we allow you to go and you get stopped at the border there's nothing we can do', explained school board member Beatriz LeBron.
Some 36 speakers signed up to share their concerns for about an hour before the board moved onto to other agenda items.
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