School Boundary Changes Approved

Over the objections of a large number of upset parents, boundary changes were approved last night by the Ann Arbor Board of Education which affect four elementary schools - Newport, Haisley, Abbot and Wines. Action on an administration proposal to bus those students eligible for busing from the Slauson Junior High attendance area to Tappan Junior High was delayed. School Supt. W. Scott Westerman Jr., said the reason for the boundary changes was to put children where there is room. He also cited safety reasons. School Trustee Paul H. son said, however, that the change simply catered to newcomers from the low-income housing área at Maple and Dexter Rds. The vote was 5-2. Voting against the boundary changes were Paul Johnson and Trustee Ted Heusel. The changes are as follows: - The children from the low income housing área at Mar-le and Dexter Rds. will attend Abbot. (About 64 youngsters are expected. This is a change from an administration proposal in February that these children attend Haisley. School officials said the change was for safety reasons, so the dren will not have to cross MapleRd.) - The Garden Homes subdivisión studénts east of Maple - approximately 32 - will be transferred from Abbot to Wines. - The bused área boundaries for Newport School will be adjusted so that the children living in the Pratt Rd. and Dexter área who are now bused to Newport School will be bused to Haisley. This will affect 60-65 studénts. -The bused área boundaries for Abbot School will be adjusted so the children living in the Pratt Rd. and Dexter área who are now bused to Abbot will be - - - - - bused to Haisley. This will affect 10-15 students. Most of the parents who spoke last night were from Abbot School. They objected to the changes on the grounds that Abbot is already overcrowded. The changes are expected to increase the Abbot population by 20-25 students. Mrs. Lois Mayfield, a mother frm the Garden Homes subdivisión, strenuously opposed the alterations, saying the Garden Homes c h i 1 d r e n had been moved five times already in past years, and may have to be moved again next year. Supt. Westerman said the schools "don't plan" to move those children again next year. Paul Johnson declared thel whole problem could be morel easily resolved if the expectedl 64 low-income children attended Haisley instead of Afebot, and said the shuffling of children in the other schools is a result of busing the children to Abbot. Trustee Heusel said he is "up tight about continuous movement of children," and wouldvote against the changes for that reason. Trustee Henry Johnson said the board and audience had digressed from the "human elements" of the whole issue is that the low-income children will give a "better balance", racially and socio-economically, to Abbot than to Haisley. I