Bensalem Middle School Options May Be Revived

BENSALEM TOWNSHIP, PA — Now that the dust has settled with Democrats taking the majority on the Bensalem Township School Board, talk of a new middle school may head back on the drawing board.

Several Democratic school board members had told Patch they were furious that the Republican 5-4 school board majority voted against rehabilitating the current middle school and building a new one, basically wiping out any options before Election Day.

"We can't do anything," School Director Karen Winters said. "We have no options. "We've been talking about this for two years. The process works that you make a choice."

Democrats won four seats in Tuesday's general election, giving the party an 8-1 majority when the school board reorganizes early next month.

Longtime Republican School Director Marc Cohen lost his re-election bid as four Democrats won school board seats, including former School Director Rachel Fingles. She will be joined by newcomers Kate Pascucci, Leann Hart, and Rodger Allen.

The school board will reorganize at a special meeting in early December.

The school board unanimously approved moving all 6th-grade students to an expanded middle school. (The township currently operates the Robert K. Shafer and Cecelia Snyder middle schools.)

Winters had said the school board was presented with a study showing that the district's elementary schools are over capacity.

"I have taught in elementary schools for 25 years, and I know firsthand the strain overcrowded buildings place on both teachers and students," Winters said.

Winters and School Director Stephanie Gonzalez Ferrandez blamed Cohen and GOP School Director Kim Rivera for dropping the ball on a vote for a new middle school.

"The failure of Marc Cohen and Kim Rivera to select any option is irresponsible and a clear neglect of their duties," Winters said. "Their refusal to make a decision leaves our students in overcrowded classrooms and our staff without the support they deserve. After over a year of discussions, it is simply unacceptable to say no to both options."

Ferrandez said she has served on the school board with Cohen and Rivera for six years, and both "consistently signaled support" for Schools Superintendent Samuel Lee's vision of a new mega middle school, supporting a decision to issue $50 million in bonds for the project.

"The lack of leadership displayed by Marc Cohen and Kim Rivera was shameful," Ferrandez said. "When their names were called to vote between two projects, to finally start the process and alleviate our overcrowding situation, they voted no to both. Mr. Cohen cited financial concerns, but then turned around and voted to purchase an $80,000 robot to sweep the floors."

She said that Cohen "refused to vote for political reasons" in a recent Patch article.

“I would have liked to vote for a new middle school at our last board meeting but there was a Federal shutdown and no State budget. It would not be fair to the taxpayers for us to make that decision. Miraculously after the election the democrats are now working on ending the shutdown. I’m sure the State will follow up and pass a budget,” Cohen said.

Winters believes that with the 8-1 Democratic majority soon, the school board can return to the middle school discussion.

"I do think we can pick it up again," Winters said. "It may work out just fine anyway."