Should Fairhope Kindergarten Center Close?

Is closing a landmark neighborhood school in one city worth saving more than $700,000 to benefit all schools in the county?
Baldwin County School Superintendent Dr. Alan Lee said closing the Fairhope Kindergarten Center and moving students to Fairhope Elementary would save the school system at least $720,000 dollars year.
But, supporters of the school staying open said something more important than money is at stake.
One said, "If we want to save money, why don't we take all the schools and put them here, and have 80 kids in a class and that will save a lot of money? You know, that's kind of what it sounds like to us."
Another said, "My personal opinion is that, that school is being left to wither, so that the decision can be made, reasonably at some point that, well, 'Of course, we have to close it down. Look at what terrible shape its in."
A librarian at Fairhope Elementary spoke up in support of the kindergarten center, and said bigger isn't better.
Kiki Sealy said, "This is my 19th year. I don't know that I can make it to 25. This is not what I signed on for. I don't know my students anymore. Its not the love of my life anymore. I'm just being honest ."
After hearing from parents Monday night, Lee said he still has not made a decision, or even set a timetable on what to recommend to the school board,
But, he is planning to meet this week with legislators to push cost saving measures
Lee said, "Obviously, I think its important that we, the counties and the school systems that have extra resources, support the poor children throughout the state. I would never advocate that we not do that. But, I think in order to to make it less damaging to us, there needs to be a re-look at the manner at which we gather taxes from some of those entities, such as forest lands."
Lee said other ideas he plans to talk to legislators about Thursday are raising the dropout age, and changing teacher tenure laws.