Every day, my daughter attends Collinswood Language Academy near Madison Park and Montclaire neighborhoods.  Collinswood is a place meant for learning and growth, but the opportunities are being overshadowed by dangers lurking next door. The abandoned former Smith Family Center poses significant risks to the safety and well-being of approximately 900 students on the Collinswood campus. This is personal. My daughter and her peers should be able to study and play in an environment free from harm, yet the presence of this unsafe structure—and the activities it attracts—threatens their safety.  

This vacant building has become a haven for unhoused individuals who engage in drug use, leading to increased crime and disturbances on the school campus. Not only does this endanger the students, but it's also detrimental to the community. The property is continually littered with trash and has become a public health concern, as individuals shoot up IV drugs on the grounds.  Piles of human excrement dot the grounds around the abandoned former Smith Family Center.  Just this past Martin Luther King Day, around a dozen police were called because of a gun assault on the campus of Collinswood Language Academy.   The police did not find the gunman, but did find two people within the Smith Building at that time.

Entry into this abandoned building has been officially prohibited by the fire marshal due to the presence of asbestos—an immediate danger to anyone nearby. CMS moved all employees from the Smith Family Center in April 2021 due to asbestos related concerns.  Yet, today, the problem persists as unhoused individuals have taken up residence in the derelict building.  

I'm calling on the superintendent and the local school board to prioritize the safety of our children and community by demolishing this unsafe building. It's not just about removing a physical structure, but restoring a sense of safety, security, and well-being to everyone at the school and in the surrounding neighborhood.

We have a responsibility to provide our children with a secure learning environment free from the threats posed by this abandoned building. Immediate demolition followed by proper site rehabilitation will eliminate the risks of crime, health hazards, and environmental blight brought on by the dilapidated condition of this building.

Join me in this crucial appeal to our school board to take swift and decisive action. Our children deserve a safe educational environment, and we must act now to protect it. Please sign this petition to demand the demolition of this dangerous building and help make our school campus and community safer for everyone.