It takes a strong push to open the classroom door. The door's wood is warped. The floor is slightly uneven. What else should one expect from the School for Creative and Performing Arts? You don't need to visit SCPA instructor Camilla Warrick and her writing class to understand the rundown conditions at Over-the-Rhine's SCPA. But it helps.
In the ongoing controversy between Drop Inn Center advocates and supporters for Erich Kunzel's proposed Greater Cincinnati Arts and Education Center, it's surprising how absent SCPA students are from the debate. It's as if their opinions don't matter.
The "new" SCPA will still be built adjacent to Music Hall, but a recent compromise allows the Drop Inn Center to remain at its 12th Street location. More information is expected at a Jan. 31 board meeting. Familiar players continue to speak out: Arts and Education Center supporter Norma Petersen, Drop Inn Center co-founder Bonnie Neumeier and director Pat Clifford. Nobody is asking the SCPA student body to comment. So Warrick's writing students decided to do their own reporting.
The students' comments flow freely on a recent Friday afternoon. They've followed the SCPA debate for some time. They've even toured the Drop Inn Center. Their thoughts about the project have grown cynical. They've been promised a new school for too long.
"If people really cared about us, they'd be doing something about the condition of the building we're in now," said Angela Beaman. An article in the recent student newspaper offers their perspective: 'Drop Inn or Drop Out -- Advocates for the Homeless Question New School Proposal.' Warrick's students aren't sold on the idea of a new SCPA near Music Hall. They've grown fond of the school's current location. They like being near Main Street restaurants and galleries. Basically, asks Evan Kuhlman, do you really need to be nextto Music Hall to take advantage of everything Music Hall has to offer?
SCPA students walk to school from their various bus stops downtown every day, but class trips outside the SCPA building require constant adult supervision. They don't fear their Over-the-Rhine neighborhood or the Drop Inn Center. These students want to take advantage of the artists, studios and galleries throughout Over-the-Rhine, no matter where their school is located.
The debate turns into a private press conference when SCPA Principal Jeff Brokamp enters the room. The students have questions, lots of questions, and they're ready to take Brokamp to task.
"Why is it even reasonable for one school to ask for so much money?" asked Michael Smith. "I think our school is special. I think our students are special, but we're not that special." Brokamp quickly disagreed.
"Is it reasonable that SCPA gets a new building?" Brokamp asked the students. "Absolutely!"
By the end of the afternoon, Brokamp's position was clear. The current SCPA building could not meets its core requirement to provide a pre-professional arts experience. A new building is necessary. Funding sufficient for a $50 million price tag -- a combination of $5 million in City of Cincinnati support over the next 20 years and private dollars -- will be there. And the controversy over moving Drop Inn Center? Well, Brokamp told the students, everything so far has been simply a matter of architects' proposals. He's confident the approved blueprints for the project will allow the Drop Inn Center to remain.
The students were content with Brokamp's answers, for now. But you could tell that their side of the debate was far from over. Finally, the voices of SCPA students themselves had been heard.
