COLUMBUS, Ohio — The future of Marion-Franklin High School is up in the air.
The Superintendent’s Community Facilities Task Force at Columbus City Schools listed the school as one that could close.
The school sits in the heart of a neighborhood on the south side. Sheila Eubanks, a community member and graduate of the high school, said the district is moving too fast in considering closing the school.
“The master plan had Marion-Franklin set to be the first school to be rebuilt as a campus,” said Eubanks.
Board President Christina Vera said that the 2022 master plan is still being considered.
“Facility master plan is not gone. It’s still being discussed, that’s a whole other process but not what we are working on right now,” said Vera.
Melanie Rawlins, a social worker at the high school worries if students have to go to South High School, then they might not go because a lot of students walk to Marion-Franklin.
“Our kids have significant barriers when it comes to why they may not make it to school. Adding a school much farther away from where they live is not a good option,” said Rawlins.
District leaders said the potential closing of schools is not about saving money, but creating better environments for students to thrive.
“This is about leveling up the district. It’s about elevating the district, it's about providing kids with the expanded programming they deserve and a new facility,” said Brandon Simmons, CCS board member.
Simmons said the district is considering other options besides closing schools.
“Please just let us stay here. We just want to stay here, we don’t need anything fancy,” said Rawlins.