Harriman schools may close

[yellowdog]

Here is a good one for you. According to an article in the Roane County News http://www.roanecounty.com/ROANECOUNTY/sit...=497&PubID=8749

 

The Harriman city schools merger with Roane County is not going well. Harriman city council has refused to sign an agreement to transfer the school facilities to Roane County. If they do not do so in the next couple of weeks there will be no place in Harriman for kids to attend school.

 

“If the city doesn’t agree, there’s a plan in place to bus the children to county schools,” City Council member Sandra Stout said.

 

This would mean that the Harriman students would be bused to Kingston, Rockwood and Oliver Springs. Think how interesting this would get to figure out what students went to which Roane County schools.

 

I used to live in that area a long time ago and still follow happenings in East Tenn. If there is someone from Roane County who can give details on this please post them here.

Edited May 18, 2003 by yellowdog

[liltimmy0605]

Could someone tell me anything about this. Are Harriman kids going to have to go to rockwood, kingston, and oliver springs. if so i feel that could be a very bad thing. just give me a update on this please.

[CCHSJets2002]

I dont see that happening the other schools in the county is already full ive heard there talking about building 2 high schools and going getting rid of the ones now thats just rumor. Also dont believe everything Sandra Stout says she causes to much trouble

[yellowdog]

I dont see that happening the other schools in the county is already full ive heard there talking about building 2 high schools and going getting rid of the ones now thats just rumor. Also dont believe everything Sandra Stout says she causes to much trouble

Actually, Sandra Stout was right on with this one. There are contingency plans to move the Harriman students to other Roane County schools. There is not a problem with moving the high school students to other Roane County high schools, as there is room. The problem would be with the middle and elementary school students.

 

The Harriman school board and city council have fought the transistion very hard, although the people voted 3:1 to give the schools to the county. The schools will officially be turned over to the county on July 1, and it appears that all the papework has been filed and approved by all the proper governing bodies -- so things may work out after all.

 

I talked to a school board member via email about the building of new schools and he said there has not been any discussion whatsoever about building two new high schools. Where do you get your information on this?

[muffin]

That would be a shame if Harriman was closed.

[CCHSJets2002]

talked to a school board member via email about the building of new schools and he said there has not been any discussion whatsoever about building two new high schools. Where do you get your information on this?

 

Trust me they are there just keeping it quite for now

[yellowdog]

Trust me they are there just keeping it quite for now

The merger of the Harriman schools will cost tax payers a 25-30 cent increase in property taxes. There are major fire marshall issues that deal with rural elementary schools Dyllis and Walnut Hill (Harriman) that have to be addressed. If the Roane County school board even dreamed of building two high schools on top of the tax increases needed for the school merger and elementary school the county commission would not fund it.

 

If "they are" keeping it quiet right now, "they" certainly aren't the Roane County School board or county commission - not a one of them know anything about it. Perhaps you know something the school board and county commission doesn't?

[muffin]

Any more updates on this?