Anne Arundel County community appeals school redistricting decision
Parents in Maryland's Crofton community formally appealed a controversial Anne Arundel County school redistricting decision.
It comes after Crofton parents said they were considering legal action after the Anne Arundel County Board of Education approved phase two of its redistricting plan. That step has now been taken.
On Friday, One Crofton, a nonprofit organization formed by local parents, filed an administrative appeal with the Maryland State Board of Education, challenging the county school board's decision and the process behind it.
Appealing school redistricting decision
The appeal focuses on the split articulation of Nantucket Elementary School, which would send some students to Arundel Middle and High schools instead of following their classmates into the Crofton cluster.
Michael Chittenden, a Crofton parent and president of One Crofton, said, "We truly believe that the decision that the board has made isnt what's best for our kids or for the other kids in the school system."
Chittenden also said the decision has been especially difficult for his son whose in eighth grade.
"For him, it's been very real and very painful. He's been really upset," Chittenden said. "He's losing almost all of his friends that it's taken him eight years to find."
The Crofton community spent decades advocating for its own high school. Chittenden said the redistricting decision undermines that progress.
"To finally have that come to fruition and get its own high school, only to – five short years later – have a part of that community pulled out and ripped apart, is just kind of unbelievable," he said.
The school district does not comment on matters of litigation. However, according to the appeal, parents argue the redistricting decision was based on flawed enrollment and capacity data and that the process lacked sufficient transparency.
"We wouldn't have done it if we didn't think that we had a strong case, if we didn't think that the numbers supported what we've been saying the last 10 months," Chittenden said.
The Maryland State Board of Education has not said when it will review the appeal.
"Win or lose, I think we'll all sleep better at night knowing we did what we could for our kids," Chittenden said.