SLAUGHTER — The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education has voted to approve a new elementary school in Slaughter, a small town in East Feliciana Parish. Still, not everyone in the community is on board with the decision.

During yesterday's BESE meeting, teachers, parents, and staff from both the current elementary school and the incoming charter school spoke about the plan.

Slaughter Community Charter will run the new school, which is set to open next fall for sixth graders. Additional grades will be added in the coming years until the school reaches capacity.

The town of Slaughter is about five and a half square miles. Three public elementary schools currently exist in East Feliciana Parish, one each in Slaughter, Jackson and Clinton.

Supporters of the new school say it gives parents and students more options. Some parents said the charter school currently only accepts students starting in seventh grade, and by the time students transfer, they believe those students are behind and need extra tutoring to catch up.

East Feliciana Public Schools Superintendent Keisha Netterville spoke out against the new school at the BESE meeting Tuesday.

"Approximately 1,250 people live in Slaughter, and fewer than 200 of those are under the age of ten," Netterville said. "Simply put, there is not a large population of elementary age children to support another elementary school, without creating unnecessary duplication and division."

Charter school leaders say they do not see the opening as competition. As part of a compromise, the charter school cut its planned enrollment in half from 420 to 203.

"It's disappointing that we're not as unified as we would hope in our parish," said Deborah Chandler of Slaughter Community Charter, "but also, we have to advocate for the families that want this choice."