Schools

Save Consumer Science Class, Neshaminy Teachers, Students, Parents Say

Neshaminy School community members spoke before the school board in favor of preserving the Family and Consumer Science classes at the middle schools.

A last-chance plea was made to the Neshaminy School Board, during public comments at the June 4 meeting, as to why the Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) program should be saved at the district’s middle schools.

The comments were in response to FCS cuts that may take place next school year, as recommended by Neshaminy School District superintendent Robert Copeland.

“I personally feel that you are uninformed about the program at the middle school,” Virgina Hartsfield, a Maple Point Middle School FCS teacher, told the board. She explained that she has not seen the district superintendent or the school board observe her class in person. “I know that you can look at papers and curriculum maps, but what does that mean to you? I don’t know.”

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According to the district’s website, students in grades sixth through high school currently take the class. However, FCS is an elective major at the high school level, and the recommended cuts to the program are only being considered for the middle school level.

The district site states that FCS is designed to prepare students for future responsibilities, taking content taught in the core subjects and applying them to practical, real-life experiences. The site further states that the program supports standardized testing and overall instruction of the school district.

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In her public comment, Hartsfield provided specific examples of her FCS lessons, including how to fill out a job application, where to look for jobs, budgeting, banking, community service and civic engagement.

Hartsfield also distributed a petition to the board, in which, she said, there were 171 Maple Point students who wish to keep the program.

After Hartsfield, three other people advocated for saving the program, two of who were students at Carl Sandburg Middle School.

“It’s not fair to get rid of this class,” said one of the students. “One, it’s almost everyone’s favorite class; and two, it encourages kids to be thoughtful, generous and think about the future. 

According to a Courier Times report, financial gain is not apparently the motivator for the recommended cut from the curriculum, and that effected FCS teachers will likely be reassigned to other academic needs. However, the report states that FCS teachers without further certifications or tenure may lose their job.

Speaking to Patch after the June 4 meeting, Copeland explained that his recommendation comes from the district’s evaluation of the program.

“Our feeling is that it’s not that we don’t think it’s a good program,” Copeland told Patch after the meeting. “Our feeling is that all of the state standards that are required to be taught in that program can be taught successfully in other programs.“

He said that such lessons could be taught through classes such as Health and Physical Education, Business and Computer Technology Science. Copeland added that in replace of FCS could be a class that combines drama, public speaking and debate, as well as study skills in preparation for the middle school’s transition to the Neshaminy High School.

According to Copeland, the school board will take action on the FCS cuts recommendation, should the budget be passed as is at the June 18 school board meeting.


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