(WICHITA, Kan.)—
Eyewitness News has received calls, e-mails, and Facebook messages from a group of Maize parents wanting to be heard.They say the school district's preference system isn't fair.
Now they're pushing for change.
“The goal of this is to draw boundaries,” says Maize parent Amy Allen. Her 8th grade boy wanted to go to Maize South, but was denied.
Maize, a fast growing district that just four years ago had only one high school, now has two.
There’s the original Maize High, a larger 6A school. There's also Maize South, a smaller 5A.
Maize South was built just four years ago.
There are no boundaries. Instead, the district has a preference system which allows parents and students to choose. But as the district grows, that preference isn’t always granted.
“The process we have in place is to make the best use of Maize South and Maize High,” says district spokesperson Karen McDermott.
The group of parents says the district needs a better plan for the future and is using the phrase “C’mon Doug, our kids need a plan.”
Doug refers to Superintendent Doug Powers.
“I just wanted to show my support that we don't believe this system is working,” says parent Casey Richardson whose son will go to his choice school.
About 85 percent of Maize students live outside the city limits of Maize. Many of them live closer to Maize South.
“There's just simply no way we can accommodate all the students on the south campus,” says McDermott.
She says the district is open to ideas.
“I would love to have the opportunity to sit down with the group. If they have another solution we're all ears. I would like to hear from them,” adds McDermott.
The district also has an appeals process that isn’t complete yet. McDermott says some parents may learn their child will get into their choice school.
Parents also have the option of appealing to the school board.
