D.C. School Closings List Is Revised

"With all the violence I've heard and seen on the news in that area -- Merritt wasn't having that type of violence," she said.

In an interview, Rhee said the revisions were more the result of individual arguments she heard in private meetings with parents and others than large community gatherings and demonstrations.

"None of the changes were driven by people coming out to big meetings," Rhee said. "The way that was more productive was when small groups came to me and said, 'Here are our concerns, here are our ideas.' "

For example, after D.C. Council member Jack Evans (D-Ward 2) and neighborhood leaders said Shaw's large campus could be a community resource, Rhee reversed course and proposed closing Garnet-Patterson instead of Shaw. Shaw's large athletic fields, she said, could attract students looking for activities and cut down on truancy.

But Florence Harmon, an advisory neighborhood commissioner in the West End/Foggy Bottom neighborhood, where Stevens Elementary is located, said her arguments against closing the school went unheeded when she met with Rhee. Harmon said she cited its academic programs and historical importance to the community as the first school for freed slaves.

"They made the decision completely on enrollment. They didn't take into account the quality of the educational programs, because if they did, Stevens would still be open," Harmon said.

The new proposal calls for Benning students to move to Smothers Elementary in Northeast, while students from Merritt would go to Ronald H. Brown in Northeast. In Northwest, students from Garnet-Patterson would attend Shaw, and Park View students would attend Bruce-Monroe. All four receiving schools had been on the closing list proposed in November but were taken off under the new plan.

A public hearing on the proposal is set for 6 p.m. Feb. 27 at McKinley Technology High School in Northeast.

Council members, who criticized Fenty and Rhee for not consulting with them before releasing their original proposal, were personally briefed by Rhee and Fenty on Thursday.

"Obviously it was difficult from the beginning because of a lack of communication, but the process got better as we went along," said Chairman Vincent C. Gray (D). "This sends a message that [the administration was] flexible."

Although council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) said he was glad that Bruce-Monroe and Shaw in his district were spared, he said he would fight for Park View and Garnet-Patterson. "The squeaky wheel, the schools told that they were going to close, were obviously very convincing," he said. "We're going to make our case."

Park View is an anchor of the neighborhood, he said, and Garnet-Patterson was the first African American junior high school in the city.

Council member Harry Thomas Jr. (D-Ward 5) said he still wants Rhee to take Bunker Hill Elementary and Backus Middle of the list and also M.M. Washington because it is the city's only vocational high school.

Thomas, who has pushed for more inclusion in the process, said he felt more "optimistic" about being heard by Rhee and Fenty.

"They kept us in the loop a lot better than they did before," he said.

Thomas said that will not deter him from going forward with legislation that would require more input from the public on school closures and council oversight of the disposal of school property.

Staff writers Michelle Boorstein, Nikita Stewart and Debbi Wilgoren contributed to this report.