Rezoning Meeting 2/16/16

I attended the Hoover rezoning meeting at Hunter Street Baptist. This was an
incredibly eye opening event, because I really did not know much about rezoning. I now
understand more of the rezoning process, but I realize that it is incredibly difficult and
there is never a perfect solution for it. This is very controversial, and I see the hard work
that goes into this planning. This meeting was an open mic meeting where the community
could share its concerns, and I learned so much about the communities right by Trace!
This rezoning will impact 2500 students in the Hoover area. Forty-seven percent
of these students are black students, and forty-five percent of them are white students.
This new rezoning heavily impacts both Trace Crossings and Gwinn. Parents who spoke
at this meeting had children at Trace and Gwinn. Seventy percent of the students at Trace
are going to a new school, and fifty percent of the students at Gwinn are going
somewhere else. Other students are moving to these schools now, but the major school
compositions are changing!
What really stood out to me was the parental concern. These parents were so
concerned about their children, and there was never a mean comment said about any
school. Parents were concerned about change and the way the community was being split
apart. I knew that rezoning could be difficult due to changing schools, but I did not
realize the impact on communities. The Hoover communities have some ideal
communities with grocery stores, schools, churches, and health care located within miles
of each other. The new rezoning plan could move the children to schools outside their
small communities. Parents were concerned that their communities would lose a part that
ties the members together.

Rezoning impacts the school dynamics as well. One concerned parent worried
about the PTO. The majority of the children whose parents were on the PTO were being
moved to a different school. If the PTO members leave and the room mothers leave, it
will be difficult for the school to get the new parents involved immediately. As a future
teacher, I want involved parents and I can see the concern!
Overall, rezoning is a very controversial topic. In this case, I have no idea what
will be the solution. I see the huge impact that it will have on communities, and I am
uncertain of the benefits. I know that the superintendent and the committee will really
look into making this rezoning as beneficial as possible, but rezoning will impact the
school communities. I believe that this was such an incredibly important meeting to
attend, because it was so eye opening! I enjoyed seeing the community come together to
fight something they wanted to change.