Johnson re-examining plan to relocate Boston Latin Academy

By James Vaznis

September 7, 2011

2 minutes to read

Boston Schools Superintendent Carol R. Johnson said tonight that she is re-examining her proposal to relocate Boston Latin Academy to determine whether the prestigious exam school will fit into the shuttered Hyde Park facility.

“In every instance when we try to make changes, we try to listen to the voices of the community,’’ Johnson said at School Committee meeting held at English High School in Jamaica Plain and attended by a large group of parents, students and teachers from Latin Academy.

The proposal — pitched last month by Johnson — has sparked a spirited campaign to block moving the school from its current location near Grove Hall to the former Hyde Park High School.

Opponents contend that the Hyde Park building, designed for 1,100 students, is far too small to accommodate the academy’s more than 1,700 students. At tonight’s meeting, critics of the plan held signs that asked “Is This Really Adequate Space?’’

They also say moving the school to the city’s southern tip would create undue hardship for hundreds of students commuting from East Boston, Brighton and other northern neighborhoods.

But Johnson has said moving Latin Academy would allow two other popular high schools to expand.

Under the proposal, Boston Arts Academy, which shares a building with Fenway High School and has long been cramped for space, would move into Latin Academy’s current building, after it has been renovated for performing and visual arts spaces. Fenway High School, which has an extensive waiting list of students, would then absorb much of the space once occupied by Boston Arts.

Johnson has acknowledged opponents’ concerns, as she has defended her proposal. She said Hyde Park High is large enough for Latin Academy because the academy has larger class sizes than those that were held at Hyde Park High. She also has said that while Hyde Park is further away for some students, it would shorten the commute for other students.

Some Latin Academy parents have spoken in support of Johnson’s proposal.

While talked about her proposal at tonight’s School Committee meeting, she is not asking the board to approve the proposal, saying it is not necessary for them to sign off on it in order for her to make the changes.

The proposal was one of a number of high-profile topics at tonight’s meeting.

Johnson delayed a vote on an historic compact with more than a dozen independent charter schools in an effort to build a more cooperative relationship. The board was expected to hear a report on establishing new meeting rules for public participation — a move that has raised concerns among some student, union and community activists that the board might be trying to stifle debate.