Neighborhood Schools in Pottstown
The former Pottstown High School which used to sit on the North side of the 200 block of Chestnut Street in Pottstown
POTTSTOWN, PA – So let’s talk about neighborhood schools in Pottstown. Tom Hylton, a staunch advocate for keeping the Pottstown School District’s five elementary schools open, is too emotionally and financially attached to the topic to warrant any of his opinions valid. It’s one of the three reasons he says he ran for school board. If you’re interested in his opinion on the matter, be sure to read his numerous websites and tiresome articles – just do a Google search for Hylton and “neighborhood schools”. Just don’t expect the full story or any relevant facts.
A few years back, a very progressive school board explored and seriously considered a “centers” concept for PSD. The “centers” concept would effectively close the crumbling 40+ year old five elementary schools in Pottstown, sell the existing properties to tax generating businesses, and would consolidate those school into a new facility. That new facility, to be located in the center of Pottstown, is an area currently filled with low-dollar value rental properties and considered by borough officials to be a lost cause. The state and other private entities were willing to put up a majority of the funding to make this centers concept a reality. It had the support of Pennsylvania’s governor and was an excellent idea to help get Pottstown back in the game. It would have attracted the much-needed progressively-minded stable-income families to Pottstown. It would have cost vastly less than renovating the five elementary schools and the children would have a brand new state of the art facility. It would also bring all the district students together and level the playing field – thus marginalizing the racial and socio-economic barriers that exist today in the elementary schools.
Would Hylton allow the closing of his biggest pet project – neighborhood schools – in his own backyard? Of course not. How do you combat this progressive agenda? With mass mailings – full of veiled messages – you don’t want YOUR kids going to school with those OTHER kids, do you? Do you want your children/grandchildren mixing up with those kids from Barth Elementary? That was basically the message in a nutshell. A little racial profiling and old-fashioned racism targeted to the old-time blue cap voters in Pottstown. How could you go wrong? Forget the fact that a school in the center of Pottstown would help the people who are hurting the most – those who have to send their children to Barth Elementary School – a “walkable neighborhood” school located in the non-walkable outskirts of Pottstown across Route 100 in Stowe (across the street from Barth is West Pottsgrove Township…literally). Having a school in the center of town would also help raise the property values around the proposed school. How about those currently living in the center of town with no “neighborhood school”? We say the good hardworking folks in the center of town got the shaft when their “walkable school” was closed and relocated over 25 years ago. Where’s their property value benefits from a local neighborhood school??
Hey – wait a minute - why is Barth so far away you might ask? Good question! For over 200 years, a Pottstown school was located where the church parking lots are directly across the street from Hylton’s home on Chestnut Street. The former Washington Elementary school is now district administration offices on Beech Street. It’s actually kind of funny that Hylton couldn’t save the old high school building that was, literally, a stone’s throw from his front door. Fitting, isn’t it? We guess an early indication of events to transpire.
"Sorry Pottstown Taxpayers...I'm not listening to you because I have my finger in my ear."
So anyway, Hylton put together his “dream team” slate of school board candidates and helped get them elected in 2007. A simple search on The Mercury’s website (www.pottsmerc.com) will confirm the sad facts. Although, don’t expect to see the term “centers” when referring to the consolidation proposal. The Mercury preferred to call it “mega campus”. Evan Brandt, who has a son who attends Lincoln Elementary, one of the schools that would have been closed, should have recused himself from writing any articles relating to this story. Did he? Of course not. Everyone knows Evan is an objective guy who removes all personal opinion when assembling a Mercury story (and if you believe that…we have some swampland to sell you in Florida). So, with Hylton, Brandt and the rest of the crack Mercury staff all on the pro-Hylton side, how could the centers concept possibly stand any kind of chance of succeeding, let alone receive fair media coverage?
Do a search on The Mercury’s website for “mega campus” and one for “centers concept” and see what kind of results you get. Two to one in favor of “mega campus”. Figures, doesn’t it?
So now, Hylton thinks he won a mandate to proceed with his personal agenda to keep all five elementary schools open (even though he was the least selected candidate by less than 8% of eligible Pottstown voters - hardly a mandate). Let’s look at the facts again. Pottstown newest elementary school was built in 1969. Rupert Elementary is a shell of a building that needs to be demolished. Our children deserve new schools – not the band-aid effort that Pottstown continues to use to fix its age-old problems. And how about current enrollment figures? How can Pottstown maintain the costs of running five elementary schools with declining enrollment? Five schools needs five times as many staff. That’s a lot of money that could be saved for the taxpayers. And I haven’t even discussed the option of selling property to boost Pottstown’ much-needed tax base. Look at the excellent work done at the former Jefferson Elementary School on Beech Street. A former tax-exempt school district property, now contributing to Pottstown’s tax base.
Tom Hylton is wrong to proceed with his plans to keep all five Pottstown elementary schools open. It will further skyrocket the already high taxes in Pottstown. Neighborhood schools are a myth – a thing of the past – they don’t exist in today’s world. But not in Hylton’s world…but then again, how would he know? Does he have children to get ready for school every morning? Does he have to concern himself with dropping off/picking up kids who can’t take the bus because Pottstown is a “walkable district”? This guy has absolutely no clue and no pulse on the typical Pottstown family. No clue at all.
SavePottstown!!,
It is very, very interesting to go back and read this post from December 16th. Many of the questions and concerns cited here have been answered by Mr. Brandt in his comments of recent posts.
I have backed you up in asking Mr. Brandt to answer some of these questions. His rememberance of facts and related information is astonishing. His receptiveness, openness and honesty are highly commendable. He was not required to answer for any of it, but chose to do so on his own accord. To me, that says an awful lot about his character.
I must now submit to you, has this satisfied your call for answers on this topic? It certainly has for me and I thank you, Evan, for stepping up and doing so.
You’re welcome.
Thanks for the kind words.
Want to help me weed my yard?
(Just kidding, we go it done … mostly)
Mr.Brandt, I must apologize to you, when I first got involved with this site and Code Blue, I thought you were totally in the bag for one side of the recently defeated 5 schools plan. Having met with you and spoken with you, I was wrong. You are only 80% in the bag. Just kidding!!! You are a fair reporter. We are fortunate to have you reporting in this town.
No need to apologize, but thanks nevertheless.
No one lasts in this business if they expect people to throw nothing but flowers all the time.