City Council Wants Kempton Elementary To Remain Open

The New Bedford School Committee has proposed to close Kempton Elementary School in order to save $235,000 in the FY16 budget. The City Council requested that Supt. Dr. Pia Durkin and the School Committee reconsider the closure during Thursday night's meeting.

The Council believes neighborhood schools are important to the city and must be supported.

Councilor at Large Linda Morad suggests that if the school has to be closed, make it an easier transition.

"For a couple of years, you might be able to keep the majority of the students in that building, allow them to continue the school year and school relationships that they have while you try to figure out another way to solve your problem," Morad said after the meeting.

Ward Three Councilor Henry Bousquet authored the motion and said rather than focusing on the bottom line, “education needs to be student-centered in order to work.”

The Council believes the city can find the money to keep Kempton open somewhere else. Specifically, councilors pointed out there is a $1.6 million surplus from the FY15 budget that could be used for this exact purpose.