WAYCROSS, Ga. -- For the 477 students that attend the Ware County Magnet School, learning of it's eventual closing hasn't been easy. Carl Davis had no answer when his eighth grade daugther came to him wondering why.
"My daughter asked me why are they closing my school daddy," said Davis. "Why are they closing my school when we're doing so good? We have a hundred prescent graduation rate."
According to the school's website, the magnet school maintains a 0% dropout rate and has a graduation rate of 96%-100% every year.
News that the Ware County school district plans to close the school has been tough on the parents as well. Many who put their kids on waiting lists to attend the high achieving school are now fighting it's closure.
Several public hearings have been scheduled since the board made a decisionon on the school's fate back in November. School superintendent Joseph Barrows acknowledges the board could decide to reverse its decision but said its unlikely. "Closing a school is never an easy decision to make," said Barrows. The school board argues the system is financially strapped and that closing the magnet school is one of many tough decisions to come. Officials hope to spread the savings from the estimated three million per year it takes to run the magnet school around the district. They also hope to place most of the displaced staff within other jobs in the system.
Parents argue many families of the students eventually reassigned to other schools will go to other counties, taking taxpayer money with them.
"If it comes to that, [the school district] is going to lose a bunch of students and a bunch of businesses," said Davis. "I can say for myself, I've already closed my business."
Even with the May closure of the school looming, Davis said he has no plans to stop fighting for the survival. of his daughter's school.
"Let's lay all the facts on the table. let's see where all this money is being spent,"said Davis. "I think we can come to some conclusions to keep this school open."
Another public meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday at the Board of Education building in Ware County.
