Throughout the course of writing this story, I ran into many obstacles. However, I’ve enjoyed every second of it. I’ve decided to write a blog about this zoning issue because while I was researching it I developed an opinion about it. I live less than a mile from Legacy, no matter what I will always be in Legacy’s zone; I am also a senior, therefore I didn’t really think I had the right to have an opinion on the subject. After the two public forums I attended and the continuous calls to admin, I realized a lot about the system in which things are chosen.

First off, after being shut down by a certain administrator not on Legacy’s campus, I decided to do just as the community members were told to do, go to the public hearings. The public hearings’ sole purpose was to let the public come and express their comments concerns on the presented maps.

There were two, and I attended both.

It amazed me how different the two meetings were.

They both had the same format: Area Superintendent Darrell Sneed, the facilitator, introduced himself and explained the purpose of the meeting among other things, such as the process and goals of the Attendance Zone Review Committee. The complaints at the first meeting were significantly different than those from the second. At the first public hearing, many of the parents that attended were from the current Legacy zone. They were mostly upset about, and rightly so in my opinion, the distance between Lake Ridge and it’s farthest zone barrier, County Road 526. There were at least four different families who lived in the same area with the same exact complaint. I was quite impressed when Dr. Morrison had an answer for these families and even a call to action. Right away, the Attendance Zone Review Committee sent out a survey to see what the residents in that area had to say about the change. To me, this was a great idea. The public who couldn’t attend the meeting still had the chance to express their opinion and have a say just like the people who did go to the forum

At the second meeting there was an entire subject in which I never would have thought would be an issue. Two parents, both from the same school, expressed an issue with an “imbalance” of students at Lake Ridge. By this they basically meant that it would be a bad idea to be pulling students from Legacy, Mansfield and Timberview because of a racial imbalance. I’m not naive, I know race is an issue for some people, but it never has been for me. The last thing I would ever think about being a problem is bringing students from all different schools in Mansfield and creating a new school full of different talents and goals. These parents continued to mention Timberview’s reputation as well. After hearing this, Dr. Morrison made it a point to address the issue. He felt very strongly that he would not let racism be an issue between the schools. He also said that he was very proud of Timberview High School and all of the obstacles they’ve overcome in the past year. At this point in the forums, I had pride in this district. I am very glad that Dr. Morrison didn’t let that comment become an issue for the committee to take care of. He nipped it in the bud, so to speak.

The third and final option the demographer drew out was the one that is now approved. It took the County Road 526 area out of the Lake Ridge zone and back into Legacy’s.

I have learned so much while writing this story. Even with as much stress as it caused me, in the end I’m very glad I chose it. I hope my story addresses the concerns the school, community and district. Even more so, I hope that after reading all the facts presented, someone gains something from this story.