By Karole Honas, Anchor/Reporter
Once upon a time there was a little town in Idaho with a K-12 school district. Today, it's 'still' a little town. But now it has 'two' K-12 school districts.
When a charter school came to town, it nearly ripped the city apart. On this 10 year anniversary of charter schools in Idaho, we see if the fences will ever be mended.
Gooding, Idaho has a population of 3,400. There's the traditional public school district. And soon the empty old elementary school will soon house the new North Valley Academy. Between the two, a chasm that may as well be a mile wide.
"It divided the community in a very sad way in that we had people that had been friends who would no longer talk to each other," says Mike Anderson who graduated from Gooding High in the 1970's. He's tried very hard to stay neutral on the subject of a charter school in town, but he fears it's costing the traditional school district dearly.
"It just caused a huge rift. Even to the point where we had siblings in families that their views on whether to have charter schools divided the family."
Superintendent Heather Williams agrees. "It's been divisive for the community because we're so small."
On Friday, the classrooms are empty. The school district had to go to a 4 day school week.
"We got hit twice," says Williams. " The charter school significantly decreased our enrollment. Then we got hit with historic year in education where it was the first year ever education was cut."
Superintendent Williams had to consolidate the district, move her offices into the high school, move the alternative school into the middle school. When the school district lost 100 students, even athletics were affected.
"We were 3A, and because these kids went to charter school we went to 2A because they go by how many kids are in the school. They don't go by the number that plays sports, it's the number of kids in school. So now we play Declo, Glenns Ferry and a couple others," says D.J. Vlahos, senior.
One of the founders of the new charter school doesn't see a problem, "I've lived here 30 years. I love the people. I didn't do this to hurt anyone but to help parents," says Debra Infinger, Charter School Board Chair.
Infinger and Derel Muck say they will offer a school that's more hands on, more relevant. Instead of learning about a new topic every 50 minutes, the school day will be more integrated. Muck says, "I think we should come up with a way the kids see relevance between academics and professional technology. The math class would open up. I've taught drafting where geometry is 99 percent of what the kids have to do. They fail geometry and do fine in drafting. The reason why is that element of relevance the students need."
The students will wear uniforms, and a great deal of emphasis will be put on patriotism.
But can a 1,200 student population support two full school districts?
"If towns the size of Dreary and Boville can support a charter school, we can. We aren't just pulling our population from Gooding. They're coming from all over the valley," says Principal Muck.
Still, Mike Anderson worries. "I agree with choice, but in anything in life you have a choice in you have to be able to afford that choice. I'm not sure Gooding can afford a traditional school, alternative school, charter school, etc."
Infinger says, "This is America. I don't know why anyone would be upset with choice."
And Anderson doesn't see charter schools leaving.
"It's here and probably to stay. So let's make the best of it. People are resolving that. But there are some open wounds that need to heal."
