Parents of a school community in West Palm Beach have rallied together to raise funds and buy the Mountaineer's School of Autism building to ensure that it won't shut down. The area's hot real estate market has put the school in danger of closing as the property owner apparently plans to sell the site for a profit.
In an interview with WPTV, dad Pierre Rodriguez, whose daughter, Amelia, has Down syndrome with autism, said that Mountaineer's School of Autism provided therapy that can't be matched anywhere else. Rodriguez said that his daughter reached "her ultimate potential" because of the school's help.
Now that it's in danger of shutting down if the owners sell the property, he's concerned for the parents of kids with autism who will not be able to find such a school that will give them some peace of mind.
Goal to Secure $800,000 to Buy the Building
Mountaineer's School of Autism provides education for special needs kids from three to 22 years old, said founder Mary Jo Walsh, whose son with autism also has problems with hearing. She opened the fundraiser to ensure that 70 kids will be able to continue their education as well as access to therapy services.
"Our lease for the building and land is coming to an end with no option to continue leasing," Walsh said on the GoFundMe page. "We must purchase the building in order to continue to use it."
So far, the fundraiser has reached nearly $9,500 in donations from 22 people as of press time. The goal is to secure $800,000 for the building.
The building's owners said that they don't want the school to close as well so they are giving Walsh and the school community a chance to raise the funds so they could get dibs on the property. If not, the site will be placed on the market.
Oakland Autism School Up for Closure as Well
Meanwhile, a special school in Oakland, California is on the brink of closure as well. According to KQED, the school district is planning to shut down the site because of declining enrollments that have had an effect on the budget. Carl B. Munck Elementary is a small school but 18 percent of its student body have disabilities and are kids of color.
Max Pezold, 8, is one of the students with autism who has made such strides attending the said school after struggling at another public school's autism program. But if Carl B. Munck Elementary folds up by the fall of 2022, his parents will have to find a fitting school where he can make decent progress with his learning.
Many parents of the school community said that the school district has not been concerned with its most vulnerable students. Mom Jolanda Murphy believes that Carl B. Munck Elementary will be demolished and turned into a residential/commercial property since it's prime real estate. However, the district justifies that they have been "over-investing" in this small special school and there has been no intention to target the vulnerable kids.
Efforts to stop the closure have been in place with the parents writing letters and please to the Community Advisory Committee for Special Education and the governor of California. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has also gotten involved and asked for the state's attorney general to investigate the school district.
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