The site for new Belmont still hasn't been found. The School district has been
fumbling with two proposed alternatives by interim superintendent Ruben Cortines
and CEO Howard Miller respectively suggest using high-rise office suites and
open 4 new schools quickly. These alternatives have been met with mixed emotion
from both sides of the battle. Those for the Belmont project to continue are in
favor of using the former ambassador hotel in the mid-Wiltshire district,
because 10 years ago the school board had chosen this site for the high school
but was met by Donald Trump's Legal Team. Upon reclaiming the site after
foreclosure the negotiations with such prominent figures such as Magic Johnson
who owns many Cinemas in the area to combine his movie complex with a middle
school. The conservancy group is expected to block the demolishing of the hotel
claiming it is a historical site citing that it is the place of the Kennedy
Assignation and many Oscar nights. School Board Member Caprice Young wants
Johnson and the conversancy to look at the need of the children. I personally
don't think that children no matter how appealing would in long run want the
distraction of a movie theatre ruining their education. The reason many people
have so many differing opinions is because if we were just another state this
wouldn't be an issue but a time for action. A time to step forward and take the
blame for being to focused on keeping appearances that we abused our children.
"It's time they started thinking about kids", Young said. The city is
the movie Mecca of the world and has a lot of land at it's disposal but because
it wants to make the place a visitor attracting place doesn't want to sacrifice
a hotel to fit the needs. I think this plain wrong on the part of the school
board. I remember reading about how the state can take over a site because it
was to be made use for a federal project such as highway which many people use
to go to and from work. If we don't see the value of an education than it is
true what other states do say about us, that we are more into our looks that to
do what is right. The Hollywood facade of this city has been around much to long
and is due to change and no physically but mentally. A face lift of this sort
would cause a rift in our society but if there noone to stand up for the rights
of the children then those buildings that the conservancy wants to keep as
historic landmarks would be all for not.