Longtime School Tradition Ends in South Arkansas
By: Brea Douglas
Updated: February 15, 2013
Junction City classrooms will have some empty desks come next year. A recent decision was made that 105 of the district's students will have to attend schools in their home district of Claiborne Parish even though Junction City Schools are closer to where the students live. The latest decision has many affected parents upset.
"It's hard for me to understand why I would want to send my children to a district that ranks 64th out of 66th school districts in the state of Louisiana. It's very hard for us to do that."
"You'll have children that live approximately 3 to 4 blocks from the school having to be bussed up to 12 miles away to receive an education that is not on par with what their receiving here at Junction City at this time."
Claiborne Parish School District officials say that the agreement dating back to the 1930s that has allowed students to attend the Junction City School District is causing a financial loss to their district. Junction City Superintendent Danny Thomas begs to differ.
"It doesn't make dollars and cents to do this because they are actually having more revenue by sending students here to be educated at a little over $5,000 compared to what their business manager stated at the business meeting I attended where he said they were spending $13,000 a student."
It's estimated that the Junction City School District will lose about $150,000 after the first year of the Claiborne Parish students leaving their district, but beyond that, it is the direct affect it will have on families.
"Us like most parents are trying to figure out what we can do to keep our children in Junction City Schools and if that means renting a place and moving then that's what we'll have to do."
"Fortunately, I'm in a position to where I can make arrangements to move to the Arkansas side of the line and continue to send my children to Junction City."
Claiborne Parish School officials say they have over 1800 students and are in the process of planning for their 2013-2014 school year budget.
