BRAC opposes bill for new southeast school district

The Baton Rouge Area Chamber on Thursday announced it is opposed to legislation that would create a new southeast Baton Rouge school district until there’s more information about its impact.

“BRAC shares in parents’ frustration with our current public education outcomes. However, BRAC’s board of directors felt it cannot support this legislation until proper planning and cost modeling has been done,” said Adam Knapp, president and chief executive officer of the business lobbying group.

Knapp said this proposed district as well as other possible breakaway districts have “too many unknowns” when it comes to finances, capacity, and student choice. He said those unknowns that have the potential to “create financial disarray or lower the quality of education overall.”

In a news release, a community group supporting the new district, Local Schools for Local Children, expressed disappointment in BRAC’s opposition, saying it would deny the public a chance to vote on the idea in a referendum in November.

“The right to vote is the bedrock upon which this democracy was built,” according to the release.

The legislation, proposed by Sen. Bodi White, R-Central, has been approved by the Senate and awaits action in the House.