Table Participants: Valerie R. Bethel, Jerome Wade, Rachel Dial, Mary Ross, Jennifer Snodgrass, Chidi Uche, J Harrison Coleman, Merideth Wilkerson

• MC Terrell is across the street from Eagle Charter. Why would parents choose DCPS School outside their neighborhood when there is a brand new charter school opening up across the street?

• Why do we have DC Councilmembers promoting the privatization of education? As a ward 7 resident and taxpayer….I’m offended.

• Regarding charter schools – many of these schools ask students to leave when they aren't performing.

• Only 1 out of every 5 charter schools will out-perform a DCPS school.

• Even Malcolm X was doing better than Imagine Public Charter…Why isn’t that being considered?

• Why do we have public money going to charter schools that we have no control over?

• Charters routinely don’t have parent input…Malcolm X is a neighborhood school.

• We need time as a restructured school…teaching and learning can take place if you give it some time.

• Malcolm X has had a 97% decrease in discipline referrals from this point last year – and zero suspensions in grades 3-5.

• Another concern we have is that an iconic name (Malcolm X) is being wiped out…what does that say about our community?

• MLK enrollment is down as well. How can we guarantee that this school isn’t wiped out in the future too?

• There are schools that only have 4% enrollment/population decreases that are being shut down.

• We already know that what the Councilmember said will happen (concerning Malcolm X being consolidated). He wouldn’t have said it so boldly if it wasn’t true.

• Cost saving suggestion: decrease the central office staff. It’s increased by 35% over the past five years. How does that translate to more resources in schools? It just doesn't add up. We can get rid of librarians but we’re not hesitating to add administrative layers.