Frisco ISD Parents Protest Proposed Rezoning Of Some High Schools In Effort To Relieve Growth

FRISCO, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - Hundreds of parents packed into a specially-called Frisco ISD Board Meeting to protest the district's plan to rezone some high school freshman and sophomores next year.

The district says it must move school boundaries every several years because of continued rapid growth.

Frisco's philosophy is to keep its high schools small to about 2,100 students.

That's the upside that attracts a lot of families.

The potential downside is rezoning.

Jessica Hewitt, a parent, said she had heard about rezoning before she moved from Plano to Frisco.

So they did their research before buying a house in southwest Frisco to keep that from happening. "We moved so close to all of our schools. We never imagined they would rezone us."

Hewitt isn't alone.

Others who moved from within North Texas and from out of state said they did the same research and moved to the same area.

Earlier this month, the district announced it's moving boundaries of some high schools in that part of the city.

At least 200 people attended a neighborhood march Saturday morning to protest the district's plan, which calls for moving some 9th and 10th grade students zoned for Reedy High School to another campus.

That's because without that, the district says Reedy is at risk for growing into a 6-A school, where students would have to compete against much larger high schools in other districts.

The district has proposed moving some students who live south of Lebanon Road in southwest Frisco from Reedy High School to Frisco High School which is further away.

Those who live on the north side of Lebanon Road would continue going to Reedy.

Parents who live here want the district to move students in the northern part of the zone for Reedy to Wakeland High School.

A district spokeswoman said Monday they considered that but found it would impact significantly more students.

Another part of the plan would rezone some students who live in neighborhoods west of Legacy Drive and north of Stonebrook Parkway from Frisco High School to Wakeland High School.

Parents like Michelle Ames aren't happy. "They spend time with the neighborhood kids. We get to know each other through the community events and things that take place. In this particular instance, when you run it down Lebanon Road, you split three neighborhoods in two."

Parents say their students are upset, too.

Bindu Batchu, who moved from Minnesota three months ago said, "There's no understandable logic or rationale from that and kids are hurting."

Chin Tong said his son who will be a freshman next year has raised the same question.

"How come it's just this cluster being pushed out? They can't recognize that," Tong said, "Nor us."

He said the district's plan would split their family.

While his incoming freshman would attend Frisco High School, his older son will be a senior next year and continue attending Reedy High School.

He said other families are in the same situation, and he's unsure if the district would grant them a waiver.

School board members are scheduled to make their final decision November 8.