Big changes proposed for vulnerable kids

TOWSON, Md. - They are some of the most vulnerable children in our schools -- and now there is a proposal that could bring them some pretty big changes.

Ridge Ruxton Elementary School has about 180 students with issues ranging from cerebral palsy to Down's syndrome, ages three to 21, in a building off North Charles Street in Baltimore County.

Jennine Washington’s son Immanuel, who is six years old, is a student at Ridge Ruxton.  She says dealing with a special needs student takes a lot of work.  “It’s tiring.  It can be exhausting at times but it's a great pleasure and joy being with my son,” she said.  “Right now I feel it's safe. It's a wonderful environment to raise a special needs child. The education is great and I just think it is going to add more problems to the school.”

“It" is a plan to move an entire grade level of students from West Towson Elementary School into the Ridge Ruxton building.

West Towson opened with much fanfare in the Fall of 2010 -- promised as a solution to severe overcrowding in the Towson area.  It was designed for 451 students, and now it has 517.  The county's projections show that number could grow beyond 700 within 10 years.

And that's why moving a class into the Ridge Ruxton building, just a few yards away, is so appealing to county officials.  Many parents who heard about the plan at a meeing Monday night, don't agree.

“We were told that our building would not be touched, and here it is several years later and you want this piece,” said Ridge Ruxton Parent Wendy King.  “You're breaking a promise that was already made.”

They're concerned about the impact of losing classroom space, and other resources.  But Ridge Ruxton's principal says he doesn't believe his school would be negatively affected.  “We would take a look at working collaboratively with our staff and looking at what's best for children as part of their safety as well as their instruction,” said the principal, Ed Bennett.

But parents like Jennine Washington say they already have enough to worry about, and they hope the school system can find another solution.  “I really don't want them to do it,” she said.  “TI would like things to stay as they are, you know, I really would.”

There is not enough space outside West Towson Elementary School to bring in trailers, and moving students to another school in the area would be difficult because most of the schools in the Towson area are also overcrowded.

The school system is hoping to implement the move to Ridge Ruxton, -- or some other option -- this Fall, so time is running short.

Officials say they'll consider the input from Monday’s meeting, and also from a second meeting that will be held for West Towson parents on Wednesday night.