Editor, Gazette-Journal:

It was not until after the 4-3 vote to close T.C. Walker Elementary School was taken that Ann Burruss (member at-large) announced that the school board had information that the public was not made aware of prior to the hearing. Burruss went on to read a prepared statement which revealed that the board had decided to select one of the six schools to close so they could fill an anticipated 34 vacancies, due to attrition, at the remaining five schools.

Had the board disclosed the underlying rationale for their decision to close a school, those in attendance at the public hearing could have addressed the real issue at hand. The board acted deceitfully by not informing the public of this information prior to the public hearing and without regard to the wishes of constituents. It is now obvious that four of the members voted based upon the information that only they were privy to.

Now the highest achieving of all the six schools, T.C. Walker, will be closed a...