I challenge anyone out there to present ANY empirical evidence showing that closing some Peoria schools and consolidating is a BAD idea. Peoria does NOT need as many schools as it has. Period. As far as I know, there are no high schools in Peoria with enrollments greater than 1000 people. I believe the smaller ones have 500. This is a Waste. Of. Money. And. Real. Estate. While I don’t expect kids to be forced into portable cities like the Palm Beach County schools I attended in the 80’s and 90’s, there is no reason why enrollment can’t be doubled in some of the schools. The following responses/comments or their ilk are not acceptable answers and will be disparaged accordingly:

“I went there and it’s not fair they’re closing MY school.” Guess what? The school you remember from 20 years ago IS NOW A SHITHOLE. District 150 can’t afford the upkeep for all the outdated facilities.

“But what about the kids in XXX neighborhood who will be forced to go to school with the HORRIBLE kids from YYY neighborhood?” Get over it. That’s how kids learn to socialize with different types of people, to stand up for themselves, and myriad other life lessons. The ‘neighborhood’ schools are probably one of the largest reasons for the city being racially segregated like it is.

“The schools are the hearts of the neighborhood.” Bullshit. The only time you ever hear “school” and “neighborhood” in the same sentence when they’re not tearing one down is when someone says, ‘Those damn kids at that school are littering/loitering/trespassing/ejaculating/dealing drugs all over our nice, quiet neigborhood.’

“Our city won’t be the same with fewer schools.” Exactly. It will be better.

Know what? Fuck it. Go ahead and put another .25% tax on yourselves. Call it the “Give the School Board Another Raise and Fuck the Kids” tax referendum.