PARRISH, Fla. — Some parents in Parrish are petitioning the school board to redraw the school zone maps.
Two large neighborhoods are still zoned for Palmetto schools, but they are only five minutes away from Parrish's new high school and elementary school.
“They live in the neighborhoods and they are being zoned outside our neighborhood,” said Parrish Civic Assoc. President Gretchen Fowler.
Neighbors are signing this petition to convince school board members to rezone the schools.
“It just doesn’t make a lot of sense for our students not to be able to go to those schools,” said parent Mimi Sheffers.
School leaders said the zones were drawn to reflect expected growth on the east side of Manatee County. They said parents can use the choice schools option to transfer to the Parrish schools.
Parents are wary of the choice schools option.
"We are hopeful that our children will be allowed to go there, but until the high school opens and zoning is set I’m still holding my breath,” said Sheffers.
