Plan to re-draw some pre-k cards 'crazy'; any re-drawing should hit all

Editor:

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I am a River Ridge Elementary parent whose child was chosen in the prekindergarten lottery and now am being told my pre-K slot is being taken away.

We were given no instructions as to whether to fold or not fold the cards. When the pre-K official came around with the box, I specifically asked her if we were supposed to fold them and she said, "You don't have to, it doesn't matter." I had started to fold mine because I saw the people beside me had theirs folded. My card wasn't even folded - it had one slight crease in it. And now I'm losing my spot - that is crazy!

I think the public should also know that they are taking away slots from people whose cards were not folded as well. They told me that if for any reason the card didn't lay completely flat it would be taken out. Mine was not folded and I know at least one other that was not folded; it was slightly cupped from the way it was held. But both of us are now out.

If they feel our children had any type of unfair advantage because of folded or bent cards, then I would like to see every card drawn in the lotteries prior to the River Ridge lottery to see if any card was folded at any of those schools - they include Belair, Westmont, Greenbrier and South Columbia. If there is even one folded card amongst their 20 selected slots, then the Board of Education has no right to make any changes to our lottery.

They need to just make it a rule from this point forward (which, according to my sister-in-law at the Evans Elementary drawing, they did) that no cards can be folded.

If the Board still insists on redrawing our lottery for whatever absurd reason they have come up with, then they need to redraw all 20 slots! It is my understanding that at least two board members feel this is the fairest plan, but they need three votes to make this happen. School Superintendent Tommy Price has scheduled the re-drawing of only the nine slots for Tuesday afternoon, and the board conveniently doesn't meet again until Tuesday evening. I feel like we parents are being run over and given no other options except to appeal to the media to help us out!

Lara Sykes Fort

Evans