There are a lot of reasons why many citizens of Clifton Heights vehemently oppose the Upper Darby School District's plan to construct a new middle school on the borough athletic fields off Springfield Road.
Many in the borough consider the site 'sacred ground.' It's where their kids take part in youth sports. It's where the town gathers for special celebrations, such as the annual Fourth of July festivities. It is considered by man the heart and soul of the town.
There is the notion of traffic concerns, in an already congested area.
It's also the last vestige of green in Clifton Heights, where open space has long since for the most part disappeared.
All of them are valid reasons, worthy of discussion.
But there is another element at play here, and it raised its ugly head at Tuesday night's public hearing on the plan by the borough Planning Commission.
That is the matter of the students who will attend the school.
This is classic "us" vs. "them."
Upper Darby Superintendent Dan McGarry referred to the question as "venomous," and he's right. McGarry explained that the current plan calls for students from Primos, Garrettford and Westbrook Park attend the new school.
Some residents raised issues with the possibility of kids from Beverly Hills Middle School coming to Clifton Heights. Beverly Hills is made up of predominantly minority kids.
After the meeting, McGarry lamented the focus on which students would be coming to Clifton Heights in an answer to a local TV station.
"This idea of who's going to go where shouldn't matter to anybody, but it seems to be a big issue in Clifton Heights," he told CBS3. "Who is going to attend Clifton Heights School? It seems to be in this room that the conversation has become one of race, unfortunately. At least that's what's coming out."
That position did not sit well with Clifton Heights Mayor Joe Lombardo.
Admittedly an ardent opponent of the plan, Lombardo took to Facebook to stress that race has nothing to do with borough opposition to the school plan - and lambaste the superintendent in the process.
"I would like to clear the air about the Planning Board meeting last night," Lombardo said in his post. "I am disgusted and appalled that the Upper Darby School Board would let their superintendent grandstand in front of the media trying to make a school district land development project in the Borough of Clifton Heights about race.
The clearly steamed mayor was not done.
"In my opinion the man doesn't deserve to hold that position. He not only represents the board but all of the school district taxpayers and I am ashamed to say I live in the Upper Darby School District."
We'll give Lombardo one thing. This should not be about race.
There are more than enough things to discuss in this most controversial plan.
Which students are coming to Clifton Heights under the plan should not be one of them.
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