Beaumont ISD Superintendent Carrol Thomas, left, testified as Judge Bob Wortham listens in September that the district did not envision renovating the existing South Park Middle School when it put its successful $388.6 million bond proposal before voters in November 2007. Dave Ryan/The Enterprise


South Park decision could come this week

By KEN FOUNTAIN
December 21, 2009
Posted: December 19, 2009, 3:00 AM CST Last updated: December 19, 2009, 3:03 AM CST

If Judge Bob Wortham meets his self-imposed Christmas deadline to rule in the South Park Middle School lawsuit, he'll give one side the legal equivalent of a brand-new bicycle under the tree while giving the other a lump of coal in its stocking.

Wortham told The Enterprise last week that he hopes to make his decision by Thursday. The judge, who has presided over other trials nearly continuously since the second South Park trial in September, said at the latest, he would render a decision before Jan. 1.

The months-long case pits Beaumont ISD, which wants to tear down the 86-year-old structure in order to build a new school on the site, against the Beaumont Heritage Society and a loose-knit collection of "Greenies," former South Park High School students who want to see the structure preserved.

The district maintains that the 1923 building is too old and dilapidated to serve what it says is a growing student population.

The district argues that the structure can be preserved as part of a larger renovation project that could be done more cheaply than tearing the present building down and building all new facilities.

Earlier this month, lawyers for both sides filed dueling post-trial briefs for Wortham to consider.


Comments

rbblum wrote:
It would be a bit ironic if such a significant decision being made during the joyous holiday season will declare not only that the solid, aged, graceful South Park building is inappropriate being transformed in the new era of BISD . . . but the new BISD football stadium will be officially christened the Carrol Thomas Athletic Park Facility of Jefferson County, Texas. 12/21/2009 09:37 PM CST

fredsaid wrote:
"I have no idea," Thomas said. "I don't know about all of this. It is something that we didn't know about. I can't make any comments about it whatsoever when I don't know about it. So, I would rather find out about it before I made any comments about it." 12/21/2009 06:03 PM CST

GREENIE 1969 wrote:
I still get petitions to Save South Park. They are not just Graduates they are Beaumont Citizens.They all have comments , too. 12/21/2009 03:18 PM CST

tracegallagher wrote:
barak + thomas = users/takers
12/21/2009 03:11 PM CST

Wavy Gravy wrote:
I've noticed parallel attitudes with the Thomas administration and the Obama administration. Obama's medical 'death panels' have said as much that if you are 86 years old and your physician suggests a certain treatment that it doesn't matter. You are in fact too old and need to die. Your valuable lifespan has all but vanished into thin air. Thomas' administration wants so desperately to inflict, in similar fashion, the wrecking ball of death upon a Beaumont historical landmark because it is in his most humble opinion and that of his boot licking merry henchmen that South Park is too old and should, simply put, die. The BISD taxpaying patrons were sold a false bill of goods with promising as part of the bond issue to renovate South Park and not destroy it. This whole incident of the destruction of South Park is based on lies told by Thomas and his band of cutthroats. Thomas should have been stopped from destroying BISD years ago. But, there are those who are willing to stand idly by and let a crazy madman rape the BISD for all it's worth and leave not a ounce of dignity or a brick of history in it's wake. If Thomas gets his wish, the rest of us get the lump of coal. How much exactly did Thomas get in his latest pay raise? His pre-raise bloated salary is obscene anyway. Keep it up BISD. And, when one day you can't pay this nut job, he'll go rape another district. Wake up dammit. Wake up. 12/21/2009 02:34 PM CST

Beekeeper wrote:
"The district maintains that the 1923 building is too old and dilapidated to serve what it says is a growing student population." Really? San Antonio has a world famous structure that could have been called "Just an old, dilapidated Spanish mission" were it not preserved by concerned citizens. The Alamo is the pride and spirit of many Texans Greenies are just as proud of their historic South Park landmark. There's something to be said for being able to walk the same halls and touch history. When we destroy our community cornerstones we teach that anything newer is better than preserving our heritage just for the sake of calling it "new". We already live in such a disposable society. Please save South Park Judge Wortham. 12/21/2009 02:06 PM CST

lookintothis wrote:
"too old and dilapidated"? So you fix it up. With that kind of thinking, we wouldn't have any historical buildings left. 12/21/2009 06:52 AM CST

HillebrandtHoney wrote:
Please Judget Wortham - do the right thing and save South Park. Tell the school district ti build the new school on the vacant land behind the current building if they are hell bent on spending the millions of dollars to build a new one. Let Dr Thomas and BISD sell the admin building IH-10 and use those funds to renovate the SPHS building for a new Admin building. Then the rest of the funds can go to pay off the new construction bonds. That would bring much needed jobs to the south end and let everyone win. Do the right thing judge. Please!!!!!! 12/21/2009 05:37 AM CST