BEAUMONT ENTERPRISE (ONLINE)

UPDATE: BISD to present its South Park case

By KEN FOUNTAIN
July 29, 2009
Posted: July 29, 2009, 3:06 PM CDT Last updated: July 29, 2009, 8:31 PM CDT

The court battle over the demolition of South Park Middle School continues today, after two days of often tense testimony in a packed courtroom. The Beaumont Heritage Society and former students leadthe fight to prevent the Beaumont ISD from razing the 1923 building. In the first two days of the hearing in Judge Bob Wortham's courtroom, attorney Michael Getz presented the heritage society's case by grilling Superintendent Carrol Thomas and bringing out witnesses who oppose the demolition. Today, the school district is expected to present its side of the case. The questioning of Thomas was contentious at times, as he defended the district's decision to demolish the building instead of renovating. One of the key points in Getz's questioning was whether school officials planned all along to tear down South Park while telling voters in the district's bond election that there were no plans to demolish the building. Thomas denied knowing that the district's then communications director had provided material used in a pamphlet promoting the successful $388.6 million bond election in November 2007. Read more in Thursday's Beaumont Enterprise. Then check with BeaumontEnterprise.com today for more information.