Murch- Getting screwed again?

[Anonymous]

I just heard about this and, while I am not a Murch parent, I am appalled.

"Over the last several years, the fight to renovate and expand Murch has hit numerous potential roadblocks. As a strong community, we have worked together to overcome them all. The project now faces another challenge, and we need help from our entire community to ensure that we can overcome this latest obstacle to getting the school building our children need and deserve.
DC Public Schools (DCPS) and the Department of General Services (DGS) informed the Murch School Improvement Team (SIT) that the project is underfunded — by $10 million — for the design that was presented to the community last July. The current budget is based on estimates by DGS that agency officials promised were sufficient for the necessary modernization. DCPS and DGS admit that their estimate was grossly incorrect, however, they are not proposing to increase the budget, but rather to change the building plans.

DCPS and DGS have proposed revisions to the design to scale it back and fit it to their incorrectly calculated budget. Their revisions would eliminate some of the core educational elements required by Murch, or any school"

This includes no cafeteria and replacing the play space for PreK and Kindergarten with surface parking.

http://murchschool.org/murch-modernization-needs-your-help/

Is DCPS out to get the Murch community or something?

[Anonymous]

It's really getting to be a joke at this point. How much more can go wrong with this project (before the building has even started, mind you)? They are supposed to break ground in FOUR MONTHS. How can they only now be realizing the project is short $10M? Given Bowser's recent statements regarding school renovation funding, there is virtually no chance Murch gets the extra funding it needs/deserves. It's unbelievable how poorly this has been handled and how badly the Murch community has been treated.

[Anonymous]

Would a lawsuit help?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would a lawsuit help?

No. What sour be the claim and who would have standing to assert it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would a lawsuit help?

No. What sour be the claim and who would have standing to assert it?

I don't know. I'm not a lawyer but how can you spend $$$$$$ at Duke Ellington while screwing over a school twice its size.

[Anonymous]

And then when you think about what DCPS has sunk into Ellington and Dunbar, you come to the conclusion that Bowser and DCPS hate young non-poor children.

[Anonymous]

I feel that what DCPS and DGS are doing to the spirit at Murch is heart breaking. Every single turn we have been blindsided.
Hey guess what, here is an option for the swing site that has never been presented, but is now YOUR reality.
Remember the building plan that we hashed out over the summer? Not going to happen. No lunch room for you.
Shame on you DCPS, the children of Murch should have a space that is worthy of the wait...

[Anonymous]

It is truly shameful and disgusting. I do hope that all of the community will speak up for Murch.

[Anonymous]

The answer to the question in the subject line is: yes.

[Anonymous]

$68 million and still no cafeteria for 700+ students?! At least the mouse cafeteria will still be open, with kids eating at their desks again. For shame, DGS/DCPS! Get your act together!

[Anonymous]

I do think there needs to be a lawsuit at this point. Duke Ellington is millions and millions over budget and an audit reveals that millions were lost with no clear accounting.

Roosevelt was just completed and it is a mansion now (it absolutely needed the renovation...not questioning that at all) but I would be very surprised if it too didn't go over budget.

How about Cardozo?

Time to sue DCPS and DGS and the Mayor's Office into doing the right thing by the Murch community (I do not live there and my children do not attend there).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And then when you think about what DCPS has sunk into Ellington and Dunbar, you come to the conclusion that Bowser and DCPS hate young non-poor children.

Don't worry. Bowser is also screwing over our young poor children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is truly shameful and disgusting. I do hope that all of the community will speak up for Murch.

I, for one, will be writing in ASAP to Bowser, Kaya and Kenny.

[Anonymous]

Take the $10 m from Ellington. They won't even notice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do think there needs to be a lawsuit at this point. Duke Ellington is millions and millions over budget and an audit reveals that millions were lost with no clear accounting.

Roosevelt was just completed and it is a mansion now (it absolutely needed the renovation...not questioning that at all) but I would be very surprised if it too didn't go over budget.

How about Cardozo?

Time to sue DCPS and DGS and the Mayor's Office into doing the right thing by the Murch community (I do not live there and my children do not attend there).

Where did you see this about an audit of the Duke Ellington renovation?