I am incredulous with the elected officials who won’t take responsibility for easily fixing a problem that affects so many of our students. It’s simple: Any development proposal must consider the feeder schools’ capacities. The Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance would require such consideration. By not passing the APFO, city officials are not addressing school overcrowding issues that are affected by their decisions.

As a Hillsmere Elementary School parent and former PTA board member, I have witnessed the influx of more students and the lack of space and resources for them. At the time of the Sandy Hook school shooting, my son’s music class was held in the school’s lobby. I was livid that my son and his classmates had nowhere else to go but right inside the front doors.

And with more new developments pending approval along Forest Drive, it is apparent that even more students will ascend to Hillsmere Elementary. There will be larger classroom sizes, more children in trailers and resources stretched beyond their limits.

I continue to plead to our leaders to fix the discrepancy between the city’s law and the county’s. If the APFO is not passed, city developments can be approved without considering the effects upon my sons’ school. It appears big business is being favored over our youth and my children are paying the price.

If city leaders are considering approving new developments, they should consider whether the feeder schools can accommodate that growth.

JENNIFER BOIVIN, ANNAPOLIS

Link to Original Article