Save the David M. Brown Planetarium!

Arlington's new School Superintendent has proposed closing and dismantling Arlington's David M. Brown Planetarium.  The School Board will vote on his proposed budget on April 29th.
 
I am part of a group of concerned citizens who are trying to save the planetarium so our children and others can be inspired and learn about the stars for years to come.
 
The David M. Brown Planetarium has been an asset that has contributed to Arlington 's uniqueness for 40 years.  It is the sole education-based Planetarium serving the metro area.  Arlington is a community that values interest and enrichment in the sciences, as shown by NSF being a significant institution in the county.  Arlington's well-educated population serves only to benefit from the Planetarium's continued role in providing enrichment in Astronomy & Space Exploration to our children and to the general public. 

The recent media (newspaper and TV) wrongly stated that very expensive repairs/upgrades are needed.  The Planetarium is fully functional and is inspiring many hundreds of children and adults every week.  The money that was supposedly needed came from a wish list that the Planetarium staff was asked to put together. 

A number of concerned citizens have begun exploring alternate funding, including corporate donations to cover future upgrades.  But once the space is converted into a Washington-Lee High School classroom, which the superintendent is proposing, Arlington will lose its Planetarium. 

Most Arlington residents don't yet know about this proposal.  It appeared on pages 237-238 of the Superintendent's proposed budget, issued on February 23rd, without prior community discussion. 

Several persons spoke eloquently at the Thursday School Board open session in support of the Planetarium. Douglas Brown, the brother of astronaut David Brown, was also there to lend his support.  The Planetarium was named after David Brown (educated in the Arlington Schools) after he died in the 2003 Columbia disaster. 

Please sign this petition if you also feel that the David M. Brown Planetarium should remain open.  In addition, please pass the petition link on to friends and colleagues who may be interested in signing the petition.  We will submit this petition to the Superintendent and the School Board before April 8th to demonstrate the public's support for keeping the David M. Brown Planetarium open.  

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter and helping voice your support for this beacon of science education in Arlington County. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.