In less than 2 months, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) will begin construction of an inferior and potentially unsafe middle school in the B-CC Cluster. This plan will set a precedent allowing MCPS to disregard long-standing quality and safety standards, and lead us down a path of second-rate educational standards. MCPS has neglected to address critical safety concerns of Montgomery County Planning Officials and parents, putting students in unnecessary danger. The issues surrounding this school are so numerous that proceeding with construction could severely weaken the reputation of Montgomery County Public Schools for decades to come.

MCPS parents and taxpayers are outraged by this irresponsible plan.

The school will have major deficiencies in academic and athletic programs compared to the other middle school in the B-CC cluster (Westland), weakening the reputation of scholastic excellence for Montgomery County and creating clear disparities between B-CC students as they enter high school.

This course of action is unacceptable, negligent, and an embarrassment to the proud reputation of the Montgomery County Public School system.

Every student in the B-CC Cluster is at risk of attending this sub-standard school, since MCPS will not finalize school boundaries until six months before the new middle school’s opening in 2017.

Stop and rethink now, because once construction begins the course will be set to underserve our children for the next 25 years.

Details:
MCPS is on the verge of starting construction for a new middle school that:

•      > Is built on a site 50% smaller than the state’s minimum standard and will not accommodate the minimum required school facilities.
•      >   Has eliminated or reduced fundamental academic spaces by 15%-20%.
•      >   Provides less than half the dedicated athletic space of other MCPS middle schools, limiting the athletic programs in this school. Overuse of a single field will threaten destruction of already minimal field space.
•      >   Puts kids in danger with unsafe pedestrian walkways and crossings, dangerous driveways and vehicular blind spots that create risk for injury or death. The plan allows dangerous interaction between pedestrians and vehicles, and the single-lane driveway to the school entrance will pose a challenge to emergency response vehicles.
•      >   Does not offer the same International Baccalaureate (IB) academic curriculum available at Westland, the sister middle school in the cluster, putting students at a disadvantage when entering BCC High School.
•      >   Does not meet requirements for car and bus parking, which will lead to congestion and exacerbate risk to pedestrians.
•      >   Limits access of disabled students, staff, and parents with only one elevator in a four-story building.
•      > Provides little opportunity to expand to meet long-term needs.

Our message to school officials is simple:
Don’t rush to failure. Take the time now to address major flaws in the new B-CC middle schools plans to ensure that our students get a safe school that delivers the same superior academic and athletic opportunities available in other middle schools in our Cluster and County.

Montgomery County parents and taxpayers won’t accept a two-tiered system for our children’s public school education!  Nor will we forget how MCPS leaders failed our children when they had the opportunity to invest in the long-term competitiveness of our County’s public school system. We demand equity in academic and athletic services, in a safe space, for all students!

Don’t allow this to happen on your watch - it's not too late to make the right decision.