JENKS, Okla. — When Paige Guymon found out Jenks Public Schools was closing their planetarium to the public, she said she couldn't believe it.
“I was shocked," said Guymon. "Especially since they didn’t ask for any input from parents or students or the community, and I just felt like if funding is really the only issue that’s holding it back, surely we as a community could try to do something.”
Guymon, a Jenks mom with three JPS graduates and a current student, said the planetarium is near and dear to her family's heart. She said that dome is what set the Jenks apart from other districts in the area when they moved to Oklahoma a decade ago.
"To us, that really said they care about their math and science," she said. "Our kids are not athletic; they are more in the academic realm, so that was something that drew us to Jenks."
After the district announced the decision, Guymon and her family attended a school board meeting. Her husband and two teachers presented to the board.
"They listened, but their response was 'Well, funding should have been sought a long time ago, and it's basically too late,'" said Guymon. "It really didn't sit well with us."
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That night, Guymon said her son suggested a petition.
In the first eight days, they've collected nearly 1,400 signatures.
“We just kind of started this as a way for us as a family to vent our frustrations and were kind of surprised at how great the response has been," said Guymon. "People have left comments on the site just saying how many memories they've had attending the planetarium through field trips, or a lot of people say, 'When my family comes into town, that's like the one thing we always like to take them to.'"
The district shared a statement with 2 News:
While the Planetarium will no longer be open to the public for community shows, JPS is committed to using the space as an instructional tool in the most responsible way possible. District leaders will work closely with teachers and staff to evaluate the existing infrastructure and equipment to find cost-effective ways to use the space to enhance the curriculum across multiple subject areas. The Planetarium dome is not going away, and the ceiling will remain intact. If an affordable, sustainable projector can still be used to display earth and space subject matter, those possibilities will be examined in the months ahead.
As for Guymon's hope for the change her petition will bring, she just wants a chance.
“I'm hoping that they’ll use the planetarium the way it is for a year and give us a chance to try and get funding for it, to write grants and to seek additional funding so that we can still have it be open to the community and other schools who want to bring their students there," she said.
Guymon is already scheduled to talk at the next school board meeting on May 11. She said she wants everyone to have a chance to use their voice if they want to.
"If you want to leave a comment about why you love the planetarium, I will make sure the school board sees it because I really want them to know that this isn't right for our community and people are not happy about it," said Guymon.
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