Community First signs contract to buy school
9:36 p.m. Monday, October 29, 2007
Before members of went in to sign a contract with the city that allowed them to buy Sumner Elementary School, they prayed.
For nearly a year, the local group has worked to buy the school at the center of the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education case. Amid camera flashes, President Ronald Lassiter signed the contract while his wife, Sandra, gave a $500 deposit, sealing the deal.
"You can't change the interior nor the exterior character of the building by federal statute," said Aaron Edwards, a supporter of the group. "Our plans are to maintain the historical character of the buildingg and to improve it."
More than improve, the group hopes to turn the rundown building into an "everything for everyone" community center. In addition to a charter school, Community First plans to add a health clinic, senior services, law enforcement center and a host of other things.
Before they can begin the daunting process, however, the group has to actually purchase the building. Therein lies the problem. Member Betty Horton said the contract gives them until February to raise the $3.5 million to buy the building.
"It severely limits us from going after public dollars and big private foundation dollars because we don't own that building," Horton said.
She added that without owning the building, their fund raising is limited to individual private donations. Still, the members are optimistic. Horton said they will tap into multiple local and national contacts to try and raise the money before the deadline. Lassiter said he hopes the school board, which Horton is on, approves the charter school.
Sumner-Lassiter Charter School
Learn more about the plans Community First, Inc. has for Sumner School at www.sumnerlassiter.com.
"If they approve the charter school," he said, "that opens the door for monies, hopefully, that will follow the children."
Last year, the school board rejected the proposal for a charter school. This year, four of the seven members on the school board are new, including Horton.
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