Indecent Proposal

This is a letter to the editor from Jennifer Hu and Tony Corriggio:
Several months ago, Dr. Hagerman asked Greenacres and all of Scarsdale to "pause" and allow the new architects to analyze the alternatives for Greenacres school and report back to the community. We as a community upheld our part of the bargain. However, on May 22nd we were presented with a shockingly incomplete proposal -- just one choice for Greenacres-- a renovation with the children inside. It was readily apparent to all who attended that no other alternatives were researched or even considered.

All taxpayers should be appalled that the Administration did not complete even the most basic level of due diligence when considering an expenditure of this size, sensitivity, and complexity. Renovating with the children in place will be exorbitantly expensive if done in accordance with the letter of the law, and will likely give Scarsdale taxpayers a far inferior product for the money spent. This is a 100 year investment and long term investments need to be evaluated not just on upfront costs but on expected benefits over time. If the Administration had performed a thoughtful and thorough analysis as promised, then perhaps we could have accepted this proposed course of action. But none of us should accept this.

After three years of "studying" this issue, the Administration has not communicated any details about the costs/benefits of different potential alternatives. It appears that the Administration is afraid that if they do the analysis and present a new school option as part of the bond consideration, that Scarsdale residents may vote it down. So the new architects only delivered an answer that palliates that fear. And further – the plan is being packaged with an indecent proposal to buy your votes with new "cubbies, kitchens and cafeterias" for all the schools. For decades, Greenacres has supported other schools' needs with the promise that they would be the focus of this upcoming bond. Scarsdale residents deserve an analysis why an expensive, incomplete and disruptive band-aid for Greenacres should be the choice when numerous consultants have recommended that a new school option be explored.

We should all realize that Scarsdale's "brand" is educational excellence, not appeasement and mediocrity. People don't pay Scarsdale real estate prices for views of a field or extra storage space in their schools. They expect that Scarsdale will be striving to provide the absolute best in facilities and instruction for their children. Scarsdale's neighborhoods have always supported each others' needs in defense of this brand. The current proposal severely dilutes that brand, and represents yet another poorly conceived plan for Scarsdale involving large sums of taxpayer dollars.

Ask the Administration to do the right thing for the children and your tax dollars and at least properly evaluate the alternatives. This decision has long lasting ramifications for the Scarsdale community as a whole. Please make your voices heard at the Board of Education meeting on June 12th.

Jennifer Hu & Tony Corriggio
Brite Avenue