BUTLER TWP — Butler School Board members Monday night heatedly discussed the district consolidation plan in a session that included name calling among board members.

But the board voted twice to keep the plan, approved last month, that will close five elementary schools.

Two motions proposed by board members John Conrad and Bill Halle — one to postpone and another to alter consolidation plans — both failed by 7-2 votes. Those votes came after several people spoke in favor of and against consolidation, and after a lengthy board discussion.

The discussions came in response to a letter that was sent to the school board by Conrad and Halle and likely future board members Suzie Bradrick Hammonds, Leland Clark, Jennifer Cummings and Nina Teff. The letter urged the board to postpone or reconsider the consolidation plan.

Discussions took place Monday in executive session during committee before the public meeting because of potential litigation implied in the letter.

At the public meeting, Conrad said, “Fellow school board members, regarding the consolidation, I know you’re all convinced in your hearts that this is the right decision for our students. But that’s not to say that a different decision can also be a right decision.”

He then individually spoke to all seven board members who voted for the consolidation plan: Carmen Bianco, Karen Callihan, Neil Convery, Jim Keffalas, David Korn, Don Pringle and Al Vavro.

“The incoming board majority will reverse the board decision in December. Will your legacy be wasting $1 million in taxpayer money in an attempt to shove a consolidation they don’t want down their throats? Will that be your legacy?” Conrad asked.

“ ... This plan will be reversed in December. Or at least, significantly modified. Now’s the time to lead, follow, or get out of the way. Oops, you missed the lead part.”

Several board members took offense to Conrad’s comments.

Vavro said, “Students have no choice in their socioeconomic status. So by keeping city schools open, we’re forcing these kids to, we’re forcing many of our low-income and minority students to be together until junior high.

“Then go to junior high, sometimes stereotypes are formed, and sometimes expectations are lowered. I fully believe in educational integration, not educational segregation.

Vavro said, “And that’s why I’ll support this plan until my last breath.”

Bianco said his decision has been made and he’s sticking with it.

“John, I voted the way I voted because I felt that was the right thing to do. I know that’s the right thing to do. Let’s see which way the wind’s blowing. Oh, I should maybe flip-flop and change my vote. I couldn’t sleep at night if I did that,” he said.

Keffalas responded to Conrad after Conrad said Keffalas was defeated in the recent county commissioner election in part because of his school board consolidation vote.

“John, I have sat on this board for three-and-a-half years and have listened to you. I think it’s time to say something publicly that I learned about you … First, you’re the arrogant one. And second, you’re disrespectful,” he said.

Keffalas said Conrad uses false analogies, irrelevant hypotheticals, and illogical thought processes to make points, all while being intimidating.

“I sit on a lot of different boards, and I tell you, you take the crown for being the worst board member I’ve ever had to sit with,” Keffalas said.

A few members of the public spoke to the board after the board comments.

“I have never seen such a large group of egos in my life. This is unbelievable that you are running our school district,” said Mary Hammonds of Center Township.

Penny Logan, a former school board member, said, “I spent 16 years sitting around this table. I don’t ever remember acting like you.”

The board’s consolidation plan closes five of the district’s 11 elementary schools, starting this week. It also reconfigures grades and opens an alternative school for those with special needs at the current Center Avenue Elementary building.

The plan is estimated to save the district $1.5 million.

The meeting started with residents talking to the board. Several people spoke for and against the consolidation plan.

Gerri Paulisick, a Butler attorney, said, “There are an enormous number of parents that don’t come to these meetings, that don’t write letters, that don’t complain, who support this, but they are the quiet ones. They’re out there and they’re tired of the fight.”

Laura Coyle, a third-grade teacher at Meridian Elementary School who supports the plan, said she was concerned about how her students would react to switching schools under the plan.

“I thought they would be sad to see their school go. I thought they would be sad because they also wanted things to stay the same,” she said.

“But I didn’t see that. In fact, I saw happy, well-adjusted children who accepted the news just fine.

Coyle said she also had concerns about how students would react to school tours.

She said, “Since the Meridian kids are being split between three schools, I really worried that they would come back from the trips and be sad to be split up from their friends. So I prepared myself as to what I’d say to these kids if they would come back and feel that way.

“But again, what I thought would happen was just the opposite. Every student was smiling. They were excited about their new school.”

However, Laura Wick, whose children attend Broad Street Elementary, said many children don’t realize how it will be in the next school year.

“My daughter cried that night (after touring her new school) because she’s losing friends and they’re going to different schools and other kids are upset because they’re being split,” Wick said. “There is such little time as parents for us to prepare our kids for this change.”