PEABODY — School Committee member Beverley Dunne knew her fight was in vain, but she made her case anyway: Too few Peabody kids would benefit from a regional vocational program and its very existence could spell disaster for the city's current vocational programs.
"I'm not going to kid myself, I know I'm going to lose," she told the rest of the committee. "I'm doing what I think is right. I'm fighting for all those kids."
Dunne cast the only vote against recommending the city join the district that will become the proposed North Shore Regional Vocational Technical School.
The six-member committee's decision Tuesday night was largely ceremonial, but that didn't stop members from pleading their cases. The board's longest serving members, Beverley Dunne and colleague David McGeney, spent nearly an hour dueling about the merits of joining the regional program before the committee took its 5-1 vote in favor.
It's up to the City Council to vote whether Peabody will join the new district. The council is expected to vote Nov. 19.
McGeney said Tuesday that the city must participate because school leaders had "hitched our wagon" to the idea of regional vocational program at the expense of their own facilities.
"This school is going to happen," he said. "The question is will Peabody kids be left behind."
The city has historically been willing to spend money on studies but shied away from actually funding large projects, he said.
"One of the things Peabody is very good at is spending a $100,000 for studies," McGeney said. "But when it comes time for a big commitment, that's when we get cold feet."
Dunne said she wanted more information about the long-term costs to Peabody. She also questioned a recent $32.4 million estimate of a new facility at Peabody High, and she wondered what would happen to the city's existing vocational programs.
"We are not providing for all of our students," she said. "We are providing for an awesome experience for a small percentage."
Backers of the new regional school have asked each ofthe communities in the district to vote on whether they will continue to be a part of the district by Dec. 15, so that they can take advantage of $75 million from the Massachusetts School Building Authority to construct the school.
Only Gloucester has shown any opposition joining the new school.
McGeney acknowledged he was on the opposite side of the debate to Dunne but knew they both had the same concern for students. He said if he thought voting against the merger would guarantee the funds would come to Peabody, he would vote against it.
"I would rather have a system that benefits many, than an equitable system that dooms all," McGeney said.
Committee member Michael Moutsoulas said he felt caught in the middle, but knew the city was unwilling to spend money on existing programs. He felt the regional program would take a quicker path to more vocational education than one paid for by the city alone.
His colleague Edward Charest said he would love to offer vocational programs to all students. He knew the city would not fund the vocational programs outside a regional district.
Mayor Michael Bonfanti, chairman of the School Committee, said he was a believer in regionalization, especially purchasing costly equipment.
"We can't have 15 different schools with the same equipment," he offered. "It's just not cost effective."
Although it was not needed, Bonfanti cast his own vote in favor for the record.
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