U.'s school plan questioned

With four "yes" votes and one abstention, a group of community leaders adopted a resolution last night that they hope will provide ground rules for Penn's plan to help build and support a new area public school. The University announced plans to help build and support a pre-K-8 school -- which will be located at 42nd and Spruce streets -- in June, a proposal that surprised many area residents and has drawn a mix of praise and apprehension. The resolution, written by local resident Richard Womer, addresses three main concerns community members have about the new school: its impact on the quality of life in the surrounding area, its impact on existing local schools and institutions and the area from which students will be eligible to attend the new school. Each of these three points was voted on by the University City Community Council -- comprised of representatives of University City's six neighborhood groups -- after 45 minutes of discussion by the more than 25 community members in attendance at the Crusaders for Christ Church at 47th Street and Kingsessing Avenue. "The school board as well as the University should have a good understanding of what the community concerns are," said Spruce Hill Community Association President Joe Ruane. The meeting ended too late last night to allow University officials, who did not attend, to comment. A representative from the Walnut Hill Community Association did not attend the meeting. The body made several wording changes to the resolution before it was adopted, including the removal of the word "ghettoize" in reference to the eligibility area. That section was also changed to ask that every University City child have an "equal opportunity" to specifically attend the new pre-K-8 public school. Garden Court Community Association representative Jeff Berger abstained from voting because he said his community did not approve the resolution. Local residents in attendance voiced concerns about the new school's effect on property values and its eligibility area. Frank Murphy, the principal of a North Philadelphia public school, said the area of eligibility, or "catchment," is of particular concern for African-Americans. He said a white student from University City can choose to attend any public school in the area rather than the one nearest the family's home, referring to the result of several area schools' desegregation policies which require a certain percentage of different races to attend them. Academic diversity was also a concern for Amy Williams, president of Squirrel Hill Community Association. Williams stressed the importance of the new school educating not only average and above-average students, but also below-average students, saying the school should "not be an elite school."