Unfortunately too many City Schools meetings are like this. Vast numbers of people talking without much being said. I really have a hard time making myself go when I can think of so many other things that I could be doing that are more rewarding and/or serve a purpose beyond being counted to prove that there enough "good" parents out there.

This came to mind when I read the letter from one of my kids about the Budget Work Session - January 22 at 6:00 pm. Do I care about the funding formula that will be used next year? Very much. Do I think I have anything useful that could be added to a discussion on the subject? Yes I do. Do I think that there will be meaningful dialog with listening and changes as a result? I kind of doubt it. Will I go? Not sure at this point.

When school administrators are searching for reasons for why parents aren't involved enough (measured by how many people show up to meetings), they can add my reason - "I hate going to pointless, unproductive meetings when I'm being paid for it. On my own personal time, I'd rather be helping with homework,driving to enrichment activities or even doing laundry to support my kids."

It was pretty obvious that the plan was already a done deal and that the meeting was just to appease the angry hoards. I am not sure why the members of the city council where there when everone knows that the coucil has wiped its hands of the school system years ago.

My questions are #1 - In this new era of greater autonomy, how could this plan be put in affect without the consent of the people at the school. #2 - It was stated that it was determined that the best place for this new school was Western High. I wonder if Western is the only place that would make this place attractive to incoming 6th grade students and their parents. The new school would be leaching off the established reputations of both Western and Poly. I wonder if it would fly if placed in Northwestern, Forest Park or even Robert Poole ( another under utilized facility).

Much ado over nothing. 2 years to influence 6th and 7th graders. It would be interesting to see how many girls would stay in the new school after 8th grade.

The plan is to increase enrollment for two years by placing the new Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women in the building: next year with a sixth-grade class, the year after with sixth and seventh.

I thought they were starting with a 6th and 9th the first year.

What an embarrassing showing by Western alumnae. Booing someone trying to educate children?

(By the way everyone look out for a good article in Western's Student Newspaper on service learning in Baltimore City's Public Schools)

By the way this reminds me of the Canton Middle School neighborhood meeting last year. The Friendship Academy, an enormously successful national charter was taking over and the surrounding residents were pissed. By the end of the meeting someone said, well it seems like you all are doing great things, but can't you do them somewhere else?

It was ridiculous, the ultimate not in my backyard attitude. Only in this instance the residents had encountered real abuse from many of the children after school was released. In Western's case, it's only a perceived threat with no basis in reality to date.

This whole situation really grinds my gears I'm not sure why.

I graduated from Western in 1982. Why shouldn't middle school students get the same opportunity to attend a school designed to empower young women that I did when I attended Western? I think those opposed to the school should really have researched the East Harlem model before attending the meeting.

I am appalled at the behavior of Western Alumni. We are talking about ten year old girls here .Young girls who are fighting hard to recived a good quality education . Isnt that what it should be about the children not appearances. My daughter will be attendind the Baltimore Leadership Academy in the Fall and I am thankful that she is getting this oppurtunity. I prayed for something like this a oppurtunity for her that I am not finnacialy able to provide. It saddens me that woman who have been able to get a good quality education at this school would not want to share this oppurtunity with more young girls.Its true that Westen enrollment numbers have dropped and that is due to lack of advertisment and the fact that is not as appealing to this generation as it was to former ones. This gives them an oppurtunity to reach children that are much younger to put certain methods and ideas in these young girls minds much sooner and maybe bring there enrollment up in the process. It does not matter to me where the place the school I am just happy that it exist.

I was shocked when I read this article. I myself am a Western alum and I attended the College of Notre Dame of Md. for two years. My daughter will be attending BLSYW in the fall and when I was told that it would begin it's first year at Western I was very excited. I feel this will be the perfect place until they find another building. An all female education is priceless and when I heard that there was going to be a middle school that my daughter could attend(and it was public) I didn't want her to go anywhere else. I believe my fellow Westernites should have done their research before attending the meeting. If there is competition down the line I believe that would be a good thing. Schools have been competing for students for as long as I know...maybe this will help increase enrollment at both schools.

It is a very sad day when we can not come together for the sake of the of our children. We are all looking for way to ensure that our children have a chance at getting a good public school education. What is the real issue?