SPEAK UP: Has the South Park School debate gone on too long?

By SPEAK UP
July 30, 2009
Posted: July 30, 2009, 7:52 PM CDT

South Park alumni and the Beaumont Independent School District have spent most of this week in Judge Bob Wortham’s courtroom fighting about the fate of the former South Park High School on Highland Ave. Wortham will decide if the razing of the 86-year-old building can go forward in September or if the building’s fate will be decided by a full trial. Has the South Park School debate gone on too long?


COMMENTS:


GREENIE 1969 wrote:
You know I am a SOUTH PARK GREENIe as my sisters are. The things that have been said by BISD, citizens and some media we know who are you and who you are for. But let me tell you I picked up the petitions and talked with so many citizens, so many students that are hurt because they did not get to attend South Park and GREENIE graduates that now some believe the petitions are fake.THEY ARE NOT. THEY ARE REAL.Some citizens of Beaumont have really lost it.
07/31/2009 03:09 PM CDT

AR wrote:
Judge Joe B. Morris, the prominent lawyer who was instrumental in setting up the legal process to begin Lamar College of Technology (now Lamar University) which was FIRST housed in South Park High School and where his wife Ethel Morris taught foreign language), and in whose name (Morris Hall) a dorm was built and named after him but has SINCE BEEN TORN DOWN because of an obvious disrespect for our history...(after all, the Joe B. Morris Family isn't around any longer...both children Joe Ed and Nena were tragically killed in separate road accidents not their fault in their youth) would be even MORE aghast to learn what is being tossed around for the South Park building. Where is our deep respect for our history? Kinda reminds me of what Obama said of our nation....that it isn't a Christian nation.
07/31/2009 01:54 PM CDT

oldlady wrote:
I have a problem when people who are not a party to the history want to make changes that forever affect those of us who lived it and want it preserved. It is easy for Carroll Thomas and others to say SPHS isn't important to the big picture, but it is. Beaumont has lost many of its fine old building and homes. We must stop somewhere, and preserving that beautiful old building is the place to begin now. That building, if not used as a school, could surely be used for other purposes. What is wrong with using it as a school? I've been there in recent months and saw that it has been well-maintained, and should serve future students for many years to come. Why tear it down when there is more than ample property at the same site on which a school can be built?
07/31/2009 12:40 PM CDT

HillebrandtHoney wrote:
Beaumont Enterprise is obviously on the side of BISD. Why am I not surprised? It's obvious by the citizen outcry that the building needs to be preserved. Why won't BISD reverse themselves? Because they would have to admit they were wrong. I hope the citizen's of Beaumont wake up and vote out the current board and get new blood in there so the can clean house at BISD Administration.
07/31/2009 07:25 AM CDT

Lou Buxton wrote:
What a falsehood?! Let's see, if I'm not mistaken the school has weathered Hurricanes Audrey, Carla, Rita and Ike. Those are just the ones that were direct hits to our area. Wonder why it didn't "crumble" under its own weight during all the torential rains? Oh, here's another one for you. Isn't it also a designated bomb shelter? Oops, guess I wasn't supposed to bring that up. OH, and doesn't it serve as a shelter for those who need a safe place to be during those hurricanes? Does anybody know how much bracing is under that building? I didn't think so. How about we ask somebody who really knows, like Howard Hayes Class of '69. He's an architect with vast knowledge about the building and why it was put in that particular spot. Gosh, if we ask him, we might get a straight answer with some real facts about the construction as well as "de-construction" of such a well built structure! That could be a refreshing change in this "over, under, and around the corner mess" called facts. I'm telling you again, if we don't preserve our history, what is the point of even teaching it? Additionally, if our forefathers had had the attitude of some of the BISD members, we wouldn't even know what our beautiful Washington, DC looks like or how our country was built. Oops, there I go again, asking a question that might make some sense. Just can't help it folks. This is such an easily solved problem that shouldn't have cropped up at all. We were told that SPHS would NOT BE TOUCHED...and that's a quote. As a group, we, in our trust of the Trustees word, didn't bring it up until we were forced by them to defend the one building that began the city of Beaumont, TX. Grow up, be adults, admit you made an error and move forward with your building new schools on other property. You've got plenty of places to build. Don't blame SPHS Alumni for dragging this out. You people are the ones who changed the rules in mid-project without letting anybody know! Shame on you. Give it up. Do the right thing
07/30/2009 11:41 PM CDT

lookintothis wrote:
They keep deleting the online articles (and all the comments on them) about the hearing, too. It just happened again tonight, about half a dozen times now. As for this poll, it could be worse... The poll about alternative fuels a couple weeks ago had no actual 'yes' answer due to reversed placement of the phrases, and the poll about forced evacuations a few days ago reportedly had its results published in reverse (90% yes instead of 90% no).
07/30/2009 11:19 PM CDT

movesetx wrote:
I don't see anything wrong with the wording. It's about as ridiculous as this whole issue.
07/30/2009 09:12 PM CDT


IHATEPEOPLE wrote:
It does have a dark slant doesn't it?
07/30/2009 09:07 PM CDT

bmtbrd wrote:
By the wording of this poll, it's pretty obvious whose side Enterprise is on. Talk about trying to influence the polls! That's really tacky on your part, Enterprise! But then you've done it before. So no surprise!!
07/30/2009 08:43 PM CDT