Strickland on potential Edgewood closure: “It must wait, unless the state comes in and starts putting locks on the doors.”

Wayne County Board of Education member Jennifer Strickland might have been fighting a cold, but she was still able to deliver a passionate statement of support for the Edgewood Community Developmental School.

Parents and advocates addressed district officials Monday evening about growing concerns regarding a perceived intention to close the school and to relocate its students.

Strickland said no formal decision has been made by the board, but stressed that she felt it was too close to the next school year to “make a move.”

“We must wait. We have got to have public meetings. We have got to get parental input and community input,” she said. “And then, if a decision is made that we have to do something — if somebody comes in legally and says we must do something — then we do it, but at this point, we must wait … and we must give parents time to prepare their children. It cannot be done right now. It must wait, unless the state comes in and starts putting locks on doors. That is where I stand, and I will not budge.”

Strickland’s comments were met with cheers from the crowd and followed by approval from several board members, including Rick Pridgen and Dr. Joe Democko.

One of those who applauded, Rachel Radford, told the board earlier in the session that, at the very least, Edgewood families deserve answers.

“I’ve been very confused with the news articles,” she said. “One day, we hear it’s going to be split in two. The next day, we hear that it’s going to be shut down. … I would really, really like to get those questions answered.”

And other lingering questions concern her — the cost associated with moving Edgewood students, the availability of quality staff at other schools and potential bullying.

Karla Carter’s concern is for her 21-year-old son and those like him. He has attended Edgewood since he was 3 years old and has one more year left at the school.

“He eats, sleeps school. Next year, if that ends, I don’t know what we’re gonna do. If you take away this school now, that’s a year of uncertainty for us,” she said. “I’ve seen children come into Edgewood in wheelchairs and before they exit, they’re walking. My son was not talking. My daughter … they said she wouldn’t talk.

“You take that away from children and our county, you don’t know what it’s gonna do to our families. I don’t know how my son would even begin to function in a regular school. My son flaps, he screams, he jumps up and down, he bites, he kicks, he rams his head into walls. The school he’s at now, he’s safe.”

Edward Miller agrees. And he, too, is growing increasingly frustrated with the inaction of the board to date.

“We want to know what the school board’s plan is. The (county) commissioners have reached out to you guys about funding and we hear nothing. We hear rumors. We read stuff in the paper. Where are we at? Is this school going to be open next year?” he said. “We offer to you our … expertise. We are not here to fight against you guys. We want to work together. … We don’t know anything. That’s our main concern.”

Board member Len Henderson assured Miller and the others who spoke that he and his fellow board members heard their concerns — that they would take them into consideration as the fate of Edgewood hangs in the balance.

“However, we cannot, at this point, make any promises,” he said.

Superintendent Dr. Michael Dunsmore struck a similar chord.

“We’re looking at all options. Having started my career at a development day school, I understand,” he said. “There’s just some very tough decisions, both financially and locally, state, and national that we have very little control over.”