Reply to DC council giving away DCPS property to Lab School

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Give away?

It's a lease at market rate 
DC retains ownership and can revoke for lease violations
Lab School will pay for safety repairs and renovation (1935 boiler, fire sprinklers)
Lab School will pay for 2 new DC kids a year to attend (DCPS has drastically cut placements, that's why more DC residents don't go)
DCPS doesn't want the building, no budget to repair, let alone expand
The immediate neighbors wants it to stay a small school, positive relationships with Lab
All the students have disabilities, it's not a regular private school

The city is running out of time. The GDS lower school move, which will happen, could be an optimal site for Lab. If Lab were to break the Foxhall lease and buy the GDS site, then DC loses lease revenue and no-cost reno on the old Hardy building.

What's the alternative? Private developers? Another charter school with no proximity preference? Move Key students into an old building without any DCPS plans or money for repairs?

As a WOTP resident and taxpayer, I shudder at the thought of another empty, old school building in DC inventory, or worse, another Ellington. I have no problem with the city taking Lab money and letting them shoulder the costs of fixing that building now and maintaining it as a small school until whenever DCPS comes up with a plan to take it back.

Let's be honest. Nothing will satisfy the give-away-birthers. The claims of corruption and conspiracy are nearing Pizzagate levels. There is no evidence of "cronies" enriching themselves on the backs of students.

This has been a powerplay that's dragged on for years between the last 3 mayors and the council. Cheh and Evans have no problem kicking this can down the road to avoid the [u]much bigger issues[/u] of overcrowding in ward 3 and mixed performance of ward 2 schools. DCPS, the DME, Grosso et al. have made it very clear that they have more immediate priorities than Key. My guess is Antwan Wilson hasn't put this high on his list of to-dos.

If there is a viable alternative to Lab lease somewhere in this nearly decade-long soap opera, I'd love to see it. If not, please, let's just move on to the big problems. 
[/quote]

I'd much rather see them lease it to a charter. [/quote]

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