Few Attend Muncie Schools Emergency Manager Town Hall

People in Muncie had a chance to get a better view of the financial situation for Muncie Community Schools on Thursday evening in a town hall meeting with the district’s emergency manager.  But as IPR’s Tony Sandleben reports, only a few took advantage.

Administrator Assistance is now in its third month overseeing Muncie Community Schools.  Last night was the community’s first chance to publicly speak to the team, outside of regular school board meetings.  But less than 40 people could be found in Muncie Central High School’s auditorium.  Kristi Eiler is a speech pathologist at MCS.

“I don’t know what else we can do to get more parents and community leaders involved to come to these meetings. They’re very important.”

The city’s popular First Thursday events were happening at the same time, and October is the series’ biggest month, called Arts Walk.  Just a few blocks from the school, hundreds of people were walking around downtown Muncie.

That’s why a spokesperson for Administrator Assistance says the district is rescheduling a second town hall that was supposed to be held on the first Thursday in December.

Those who did attend the meeting learned that Muncie Mayor Dennis Tyler’s possible bailout of the school system would come with no strings attached.

And when time for questions came, people wanted to know what programs would be cut and how many teachers may be let go in the near future to shore up the district’s multi-million dollar deficit.  None of those questions were answered.

Administrator Assistance co-founder Gilbert Crimmins stressed that team work will be what rectifies the situation.

“I think it’s going to take a joint effort of the Muncie community, take some legislative effort. There are some things working against you with the current laws as they’re written, and no one’s intension that way, but it’s probably going to take some…a great effort from the local and the state legislature.”

After several questions that required long explanations, emergency manager Steve Edwards was asked if his team was considering allowing Ball State University to take over the district. Edwards simply said “No.”

The new date for the second town hall has not yet been announced.