Newton Residents Vote to Tear Down Sandy Hook Elementary, Rebuild for $50 Million

[soren7550]

http://news.yahoo.com/newtown-votes-demolish-sandy-hook-school-155625493.html

In short, residents of Newton voted on a bill that would tear down Sandy Hook Elementary School and rebuild a new school in the same spot for $50 million USD (paid for by the taxpayers), because of the shooting that happened there in December 2012. Plans to renovate the building, and a plan to build the school elsewhere were discussed, but weren't approved.

Thoughts?

Me, I think this is ridiculous. The kids that did go to the school don't even go there anymore. New students likely won't know what happened there to make the town want to tear the place down, unless told and/or they see a big memorial there. So what's the point? Remodel if you must, but tearing down the place and putting up something new won't change things.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

What? That's so stupid and wasteful. It accomplishes nothing other than wasting money. How the hell did they get enough people to vote for this thing that it actually passed?

 

[Adam Jensen_v1legacy]

Classic American way of avoiding real issues. The entire country is immature. They think like 12 year olds. It's not gonna solve anything. It's not gonna fix anything. It's just going to cost more.

 

[Vegosiux]

What? That's so stupid and wasteful. It accomplishes nothing other than wasting money. How the hell did they get enough people to vote for this thing that it actually passed?

Because won't somebody think of the children that will be mentally scarred forever by even looking at ground zero. FOREVER!

Yes, completely stupid. Path of least resistance and such.

 

[Dirty Hipsters]

What? That's so stupid and wasteful. It accomplishes nothing other than wasting money. How the hell did they get enough people to vote for this thing that it actually passed?

Because won't somebody think of the children that will be mentally scarred forever by even looking at ground zero. FOREVER!

Yes, completely stupid. Path of least resistance and such.

Once you fix the bullet holes and clean up the blood it still looks exactly like every other school in existence. They'll be paying to rebuild the school, but the rebuilt school will look 90% the same, because all schools look the same, especially on the inside.

 

[Vegosiux]

What? That's so stupid and wasteful. It accomplishes nothing other than wasting money. How the hell did they get enough people to vote for this thing that it actually passed?

Because won't somebody think of the children that will be mentally scarred forever by even looking at ground zero. FOREVER!

Yes, completely stupid. Path of least resistance and such.

Once you fix the bullet holes and clean up the blood it still looks exactly like every other school in existence. They'll be paying to rebuild the school, but the rebuilt school will look 90% the same, because all schools look the same, especially on the inside.

You know this, I know this, and I dare say most people thinking rationally know this. But I suppose some people still seem to have the mindset that burning an effigy is going to make the problem it represents go away. I could almost say the Newton folks went full on voodoo.

 

[Erttheking]

You know, they tore down the highschool in my town and built a new one, but that's only because the old school was a piece of shit with leaky ceilings among other things and the age was REALLY showing. The new school is a very nice place (At least I think it is, they built it after I graduated) and I feel like it was money well spent. This on the other hand just seems kinda wasteful

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Classic American way of avoiding real issues. The entire country is immature. They think like 12 year olds. It's not gonna solve anything. It's not gonna fix anything. It's just going to cost more.

Absolutely. I wish they did something about the gun thing instead. But then people get so defensive about their right to own them.

 

[Queen Michael]

There's gotta be more to it than that, because otherwise this isn't a particularly good way to spend taxpayer money.

 

[DefunctTheory]

This is entirely insane. Shouldn't they build the school elsewhere?

I mean, if we're going to spend 50 million dollars on wasteful, pointless construction, we might as well take ghost into consideration.

 

[Ryotknife]

Well, I cant find any information on it, but the school might be old such that renovating may cost almost as much (and still have the "psychological" problem) as building a new one.

From what ive seen, there were three options. Renovate, build somewhere new, and build on top of existing site. Renovate was quickly ruled out (don't know why). Building somewhere new was ruled out because of lack of options without using emmiment domain or leaving wiggle room for expansion.

 

[soren7550]

Well, I cant find any information on it, but the school might be old such that renovating may cost almost as much (and still have the "psychological" problem) as building a new one.

From what I could figure out from the school's website, it's not even that old. It only had information on the place dating back to 2011.

So yeah, they built themselves a brand new school for grades K-4, and vote to demolish the place just over a year later.

 

[Miss G.]

Classic American way of avoiding real issues. The entire country is immature. They think like 12 year olds. It's not gonna solve anything. It's not gonna fix anything. It's just going to cost more.

Absolutely. I wish they did something about the gun thing instead. But then people get so defensive about their right to own them.

Is there any rational reason that they're like that? The one time I've asked my American classmates about these gun issues the discussion devolved into a cacophony of (almost) shouting (because this was like 30 seconds before our 10 minute break was over) before I could even finish my question. I understand that my outsider view of Americans is inherently distorted from what they really are, but that incident didn't exactly help their case.

This is entirely insane. Shouldn't they build the school elsewhere?

I mean, if we're going to spend 50 million dollars on wasteful, pointless construction, we might as well take ghost into consideration.

Aww... you ninja'd me. I'd feel uncomfortable knowing anybody was (violently) murdered where my new classroom is, like those stories about building over ancient burial grounds and stuff.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Seems like an incredible waste of money to me and it certainly isn't going to help the underlying issue. And we wonder why the entire country is bankrupt.

 

[irok]

Its crazy , they are crazy and this isn't the craziest thing they've done just the most costly but this wasn't done by rational calm people and I have to say I would find living a town where nonsense gets so much traction more terrifying then the shooting. It seems like officials are too easily swayed and that the masses are too ready to engage in witch hunts.

 

[Robot Number V]

Classic American way of avoiding real issues. The entire country is immature. They think like 12 year olds. It's not gonna solve anything. It's not gonna fix anything. It's just going to cost more.

Spoiler: *ahem*

The ENTIRE country, huh? All 300 million of 'em? EVERY SINGLE ONE of them thinks exactly alike? Is that REALLY what you're trying to say?

Fucking hell, keep talking about immaturity.

Classic American way of avoiding real issues. The entire country is immature. They think like 12 year olds. It's not gonna solve anything. It's not gonna fix anything. It's just going to cost more.

Absolutely. I wish they did something about the gun thing instead. But then people get so defensive about their right to own them.

Do you guys REALLY think there are no Americans who support gun control? Because then this will blow your goddamn mind: I'm American, and I support gun control. Frankly, I don't think anyone should own anything bigger then a pistol, and even that should be fucking hard to get.

I mean, I'll be the first to admit that my country is ruled over ,and largely populated, by ignorant, stubborn, borderline-insane cunts. But please, don't insult me by grouping me in with them just because I had the misfortune of being born here, and because I don't have the money or means to leave. I mean...It's kind a big place, guys. There are a lot of people. We absolutely do not just agree on fucking everything. I can't believe I even have to EXPLAIN this.

OT: Oh, and that Sandy Hook thing is really dumb, too. Obviously accomplishes nothing but wasting money. Flies in the face of common sense, etc, etc. Sorry, did I just blow your minds again?

 

[Phrozenflame500]

What... why?

The school didn't shoot anybody, a mentally-ill person with a gun did.

This video was meant to mock the government, but I believe it applies here.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Classic American way of avoiding real issues. The entire country is immature. They think like 12 year olds. It's not gonna solve anything. It's not gonna fix anything. It's just going to cost more.

Absolutely. I wish they did something about the gun thing instead. But then people get so defensive about their right to own them.

Is there any rational reason that they're like that? The one time I've asked my American classmates about these gun issues the discussion devolved into a cacophony of (almost) shouting (because this was like 30 seconds before our 10 minute break was over) before I could even finish my question. I understand that my outsider view of Americans is inherently distorted from what they really are, but that incident didn't exactly help their case.

It's one of those berserk buttons I guess. Never mind the actual argument.