Parents and students gathered Wednesday afternoon outside of the headquarters of Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland to protest the change coming to their school.
They’re disappointed and concerned that the school system has ordered Robert Goddard Montessori School to move to make way for students from Hyattsville Middle School, which is coming under renovation.
Goddard has been designated a “swing school” for displaced school populations.
The parents said that the school where Goddard kids are being sent — Meadowbrook Elementary — is not suitable.
“It doesn’t have enough classrooms for our students. There’s no gym; there’s no fields; there’s no science labs,” said Michael Bagley, a parent of two Goddard students.
There are also complaints among the parents and children that the order to move came suddenly without notice.
“Nobody really expected this to happen. They didn’t really communicate with us about this happening. They just said it out of the blue,” said Akindehinde Jemmott, an 11-year-old Goddard sixth-grader.
In a March 15 letter to the school community, Goddard Principal Deatrice Womack acknowledged that change can be difficult, but promised that the school would persevere.
