Controversy has arisen surrounding the plans for the new Sanford High School and Regional Technical Center, which is currently in the planning stages and set to be constructed by 2018. Tech Center Director Jim Stopa was unceremoniously fired from his position ”“ only one day before his planned June 30 retirement ”“ for speaking out against the plans at a meeting with the State Board of Education construction subcommittee. Clearly, Stopa struck a nerve, and the issue is important enough to him to warrant rustling the feathers of local school officials.
The disagreement arises concerning the proposed design of the new building. Stopa says it will eliminate any sort of identity for the SRTC because the building has integrated both the physical space and the curriculum of the tech center with the high school itself. The school is planned to be divided into wings, with technical center programs included in the science/technology wing.
According to SRTC counselor Roland Legere, 70 percent of SRTC is currently made up of students from partner schools, which include Massabesic, Marshwood, Noble, Traip Academy, Wells and York. This fall, enrollment at SRTC is projected at 508 students, according to Legere.
Clearly, the technical center is a popular option for students ”“ and it’s not just welding and automotive any more. Technical courses have expanded to include fire science, business, early childhood education, and much more. That’s why it’s so important to make sure these programs are available to any student who is interested ”“ not just those from Sanford.
While integration will certainly open up opportunities to more Sanford students, the school board must also be cognizant of some of the tech center’s programs’ role in preparing high school students to enter the workforce upon graduation, and respect that the tech school is the school with which some students identify most, because it represents the courses in which they are most interested and in which they plan to make a career. The plans for SHS must ensure that the school is welcoming to students from other schools who are attending the campus to take part in the tech programs, and a separate entrance should not be ruled out.
Integration is also important, but a balance must be struck. For too long, “voc” programs have been thought of as a dumping ground for students who couldn’t cut it academically and were not college bound. That perception has changed somewhat as society has come to realize that a college degree doesn’t guarantee a job or even a decent income, but does guarantee a lot of debt. Even so, the stigma is still there, and a big part of changing it lies in eliminating the “otherness” of the technical programs. By integrating the technical school physically with Sanford High School, the courses it offers simply become other courses rather than a completely different track or program. The students aren’t separated from their peers, which should help eliminate a sort of class system within the school.
Yes, the courses are offered at Sanford High School, but it should be thought of as simply a separate campus in the public school system. A gathering space for technical school students is planned, so they will have their own area to congregate in between classes, and will certainly continue to form bonds with their classmates just as they would have if their school were completely segregated from SHS.
The handling of Stopa’s concerns is unfortunate, as his experience as an educator should have afforded his opinion more respect. He’s been called “out of touch” and a “vocal minority,” but his opinions matter because he’s been on the front lines of this type of education. While we support integration, it’s obvious that the Sanford School Committee still has several details to work out concerning scheduling and placement of certain courses. It’s difficult when two parties have divergent views on how to set up the new campus, but we feel Stopa and others who share his view of a separate technical school should have been given more consideration in working out those details, even as the district moves toward integration.
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Today’s editorial was written by Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski on behalf of the Journal Tribune Editorial Board. Questions? Comments? Contact Kristen by calling 282-1535, ext. 322, or via email at kristenm@journaltribune.com.
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