The Board of Education will discuss those two weighty issues, among other things, tonight at 7630 Hayward Road.

While school officials anticipate many to attend, the 6 p.m. meeting is not a public hearing and public comments will be limited to the first 30 minutes.

On Monday, Spring Ridge resident Joy Schaefer said she hopes the board stands by the redistricting plan it chose May 27.

"And if they don't, we hope they will continue to keep in mind the transportation costs we researched and the safety issues we discussed," she said.

Green Valley parents want the board to reconsider its decision to move their children from Windsor Knolls Middle School to New Market Middle School.

Maureen Wills said Green Valley has been battling several fights lately and the redistricting decision has added to the community's stress.

"It just makes no sense to take kids out of an under-capacity school and move them to an overcrowded school," she said Tuesday.

Monrovia resident Jen Russo said the plan called for "flip-flopping" of children -- moving some from Windsor Knolls to New Market and vice versa.

"That doesn't make much sense," she said Tuesday. "Why not just leave the kids where they are?"

Russo said she has the impression that something wasn't handled right with the May 27 board decision that involved a lot of 11th-hour changes.

Libertytown resident Carol Chaney, who filed an ethics charge against school board member Angie Fish, wants the board to table the decision until an ethics ruling is received.

Chaney thinks Fish has a conflict of interest because Fish's children will be affected by the redistricting, so she should have recused herself from the vote.

The school board will discuss participation of its members in the redistricting decision during today's planning session. Acting-board president Bonnie Borsa placed the item on the agenda. She has recommended seeking an advisory opinion from the Ethics Panel before proceeding with the redistricting process.

Board President Jean Smith has temporarily stepped down from her presidential duties to take care of a family emergency. Borsa, the board's vice president, is leading the group in Smith's absence.

Borsa said Monday she would like to get an ethics ruling on every board member, not just Fish.

"All of us have issues we speak out about, and we all speak passionately about those things," Borsa said.

Most board members have children or grandchildren in the schools and nearly every decision they make affects them one way or another, she said.

"We vote for increases in the price of lunches and that affects us all," she said. "Where do you draw the line?"

Borsa said she hopes the Ethics Panel will help establish that line and then move on from there in resolving the redistricting issue.

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