Tit for Tat

  Another fun thing in dealing with the "F" grade charter school Windsor Preparatory Academy is how the staff, and a couple of the parents seem to relish the idea of "getting you back" for speaking out against this school, and standing up for your neighborhood.

Has anyone noticed that the school has built the Dumpster containment practically in the next door neighbors front yard? The cafeteria will be in the new building, so logic would dictate that the dumpsters would be better over on that side of the school, perhaps back by the exit so that it would be easy for the Garbage trucks to reach them, and so the unpleasantness would be removed from both the residential area, and from the drop off/pick up circle.  Now the neighbors have the noise of the truck to look forward to, along with the accompanying stench, and possibly rodents that the dumpsters will bring or attract. NICE HUH? Do any of you people who hate us neighbors want that in your yard? Volunteers? No? 

  To make it even better, neighbors have had Code Enforcement called on them, property damaged that the school now refuses to repair and which they caused, harassment at work and in our yards, lies told about us to County Officials, and to parents at the school. It's been quite the roller coaster ride...and for what?

  Because no one wants to admit there is a traffic issue?  Because they feel they should not have to do anything to integrate peacefully into this neighborhood?  Because they don't want to just do the right thing and help the neighborhood they chose to invest in? Because the people who have lived in this neighborhood for years...well before this school, or any other even existed, do not matter? Because they are not concerned for the safety of the children who walk to the school either? Because selfish, self absorbed people do not care what they do to others? Or is it because they just don't want to be decent? It just proves money is the only bottom line that matters for the school...in fact for all Charter Schools.

  They post on their Facebook page  (  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Windsor-Prep/229033617173599?ref=br_tf  )  all of these rules and please don'ts, such as no parking in the culdesac across the street, yet that is where staff direct parents to "stage during afternoon pick up". They say if parents don't follow these rules then they will face consequences...and yet they do not even attempt to enforce them or chastise parents who break the rules. So clearly they do not care. When they direct people to stage in the culdesac, it literally traps people who live on the culdesac from getting out, and prevents  us from being able to get in. That is NOT right, no matter how you look at it.

  Pinellas County dropped the ball when they didn't do any kind of impact study, or seek input from the residents of the surrounding neighborhood.  The school purchased the property they are on, and charged full steam ahead with the construction/expansion, knowing full well the limitations of the property, and how the limited roadways would be impacted. They did not care. Now there is not even a sports field for the older kids, let alone parking space to accommodate the influx of cars. It's wonderful when there's a school event and the cars line our roadways, block us in, etc.

We neighbors along 53rd avenue, 52nd avenue, and on the two culdesacs are now banding together to stand up to this. Sharing our stories has been enlightening to say the least. What this school, and some of the parents have put us through is unbelievable. Elderly, and sick people literally threatened and insulted for asking people to not block their driveway or to not park in their yards!? How is that right?!

  What is especially sad is that  someone in the neighborhood, who's in the position to have helped, or who could at least have referred our concerns to the right people, had a neighbor emailing him pictures and imploring him to help with the traffic and parking issues through the agency he works for. Sadly, he could not have cared less  than his agency does. Of course his child attends the school too.

  So, now it's tit for tat, neighbors at odds, harassment, personal attacks, heels dug in. Remember that ALL of us have at least a little glass on our houses..even those who think they have an advantage. And when you are snapping pics over fences in the middle of the night, and using old contacts to try and get someone in trouble or fired, making people move their landscapes of thirty years or more, etc, it pretty much shows your character. What a shame that's how some are choosing to be. After all, at the end of the day character is what matters. Did  you stand up for what's right? Did you care about, or help your friends, neighbors, and community? No you did not. 

 And all of this over a glorified traffic complaint that the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, and the school, could have mitigated last year before it got so out of hand.