I completely agree with C.J. It is long past time for Peoria School District 150 and Dunlap School District 323 to consolidate
I propose (and this is not original with me) that we consolidate school districts 150 and 323. Since 70 percent of the students in District 323 are from Peoria anyway, I don’t see any reason to have separate school districts that divide our city and cause an ever-increasing economic disparity that hurts the neediest of our city’s children. Our civic leaders should begin a campaign now to lobby for consolidation. I realize it will be an uphill battle and may take years to succeed, but someone needs to get the ball rolling.
Although I’m sure I’m not the first person to seriously float the idea, I did propose doing that back in January, when I commented on the how city taxpayers were renovating a school within the Village of Dunlap:
The economies of scale suggest that there is a cost savings to be made merging the two districts into a single larger district. There will be those who think the Village of Dunlap needs it’s own separate and unique school district. None of them seem to mind that fact that City Peoria is forced by circumstances to have many school district’s within it’s borders.
It also strikes me as unfair that taxes paid on property within the city limits of Peoria goes to build structures like the one described in this article. The majority of the students who attend this school are not Peoria residents. In other words, residents of Peoria are subsidizing an elite campus out in the boondocks, while residents of the same city are attending schools that are crumbling. It’s immoral, not to mention grounds for a lawsuit if anyone cared to file one.
It’s time to consolidate.
It’s more than time. Seventy percent of “Dunlap’s” students are residents of the city of Peoria. We need to stop pretending that these two districts are equal. They are not. I was sort of under the impression that “separate but equal” was repudiated by the U.S. Supreme Court. And what we have in the City of Peoria is a system of separate and unequal.
Yes. It is indeed time to get the ball rolling to fixing this situation. Will we be hearing from the local NAACP on this matter? Will the leaders of the African-American community begin to address why Peorians who live in and near Harrison Homes get crumbling schools while Peorians who live in some new North Peoria subdivision get brand new buildings?
Billy Dennis is a former reporter and editor at small daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois and Missouri. He comments on media, news and politics. He also owns and operates 
The only thing I’m green with envy about is the way Bill moved the discussion from my blog to his & now he has over 50 comments! Oh well. It’s a good discussion, regardless.
That should have been “…the way the discussion moved from my blog to Bill’s….” Upon rereading it, it sounded like I was accusing Bill, which wasn’t my intent. He can’t help it if his blog is more popular!
What can I say. The chicks dig me.
There’s a lot of you to love.
Yes. And I’m fat too.
*ahem*
BTW, is Edison good or bad? Either they are wasting their money with the Edison schools or they are wasting time with the non-Edison schools.
Whatever the case, the current system has been and remains half-assed.
I really liked the elementary program at the Edison Schools. I thought it was excellent! I am not so sure about the Middle School program. There seemed to be a lot of hostility and struggle. Since I don’t have a lot of experience with middle school, I don’t know if that is normal. The principal was not seem involved. I am not what she did all day! Although, when my son transfered to Mark Bils he did complain all year that he already covered the material in the Edison School.