'The Conversation Has Become One Of Race': Several Clifton Heights Residents Concerned About Students Who Will Be Attending New School
CLIFTON HEIGHTS, Pa. (CBS) -- There were some tense moments at a meeting Tuesday night about the Upper Darby School District's plan to build a new middle school in Clifton Heights. Some residents are upset over the students who would be welcomed into attending the school.
Dozens of people packed into the Clifton Heights Borough Hall to listen to the plans for a new middle school that have been met with controversy.
The school district presented its preliminary plan to build a new middle school on the Clifton Heights Softball Field that the school district owns.
As it stands, the new middle school has a $65 million price tag. The schools that would attend the new middle school are Garrettford, Westbrook Park and Primos Elementary School.
Some residents wanted it on the record that students from Beverly Hills Middle School would not be included.
After a brief uproar, a five-minute recess was called.
Eyewitness News spoke with the superintendent, who said Beverly Hills is a predominantly black school.
"This idea of who's going to go where shouldn't matter to anybody but it seems to be a big issue in Clifton Heights. Who is going to attend Clifton Heights Middle School? It seems to be in this room that the conversation has become one of race, unfortunately. At least that's what's coming out," Upper Darby Superintendent of Schools Dr. Daniel McGarry said.
One Clifton Heights resident says her issue isn't race, it's undisciplined children.
"They're coming out of a school at Beverly Hills and there is no discipline over there. So what's going to happen if they come over here? They're going to expect the same?" the woman said.
The school district is hopeful the new school will positively impact the Clifton Heights community.
During the public comment portion, residents' main concerns centered around traffic.