By Stephen Seitz
LUDLOW— A local committee dedicated to keeping the Black River High School open has invited the Ethan Allen Institute to speak on school choice.
The Black River Independent School Committee (BRISC) will hear what the conservative Institute’s Rob Roper has to say on Nov. 14. The presentation will be given at the Ludlow Community Center at 6 p.m.
At present, the towns of Ludlow and Mount Holly are discussing a merger proposal under which pre-kindergarten through sixth grade students would remain, but grades 7 through 12 would be tuitioned out to other schools. That means Black River would close.
BRISC would like Black River to operate as an independent school.
“If the school is approved,” Donohue wrote, “a large source of funding will be the state tuition that each child from a Vermont choice town brings with them. We hope to access other funds through grant writing and fundraising of private donations.”
In a recent e-mail, she urged BRISC membership to start participating in the merger informational meetings.
“It is a delicate balance, as the 706b committee has been asked to stay impartial,” she wrote, “but if questions are raised we are free to answer them and discuss. I encourage all of you to join us at the upcoming informational meetings and contribute to a discussion that will include the effort to open an independent school in Ludlow.”
The next such meetings will be held at the Ludlow Elementary School on Nov. 16 and at the Mount Holly Elementary School on Nov. 21, also at 6 p.m.
BRISC holds weekly meetings every Tuesday in the Ludlow Community Center at 6 p.m..
The two towns will vote on the merger on Nov. 28.
