Approved: University Heights Secondary School's Move to the South Bronx

On Tuesday night, the city's Panel for Educational Policy voted to approve University Heights Secondary School's move to the South Bronx High School campus.

The school is being forced to relinquish its current building at Bronx Community College at end the school year, because the college says it needs the extra classroom space.

According to Marge Feinberg, a Department of Education spokesperson, nine Panel board members voted in favor of the move, and two against (the representatives of the Manhattan and Brooklyn borough presidents). The Bronx BP's rep was absent because of a car accident, Feinberg said.

We've left messages with teachers at the school, seeking their reaction to the vote, and will update this post when we hear back.

Many in the school community are furious with BCC, and also with the DOE for not doing move to fight the move and for recommending the South Bronx High School campus as the new site. (On BronxTalk on Monday night, host Gary Axelbank interviewed a parent and a teacher from the school, both of whom slammed the relocation plans. You can watch it here. Next Monday at 9 p.m. officials from Bronx Community College will appear on the same show - tune into Bronxnet's Cablevision channel 67 or Verizon Fios channel 33.)

It's possible - in theory - that BCC could reverse its decision, or that the DOE could find a different space more in tune with the school's wishes. (Local developer Frank DeLeonardis wants the city to consider his four-story building on Jerome Avenue at East 179th Street, which is just six or seven blocks from BCC.)

But the Panel for Educational Policy's "yes" vote makes this less lightly. "It doesn't look good for them [the school]" said Xavier Rodriguez, Community Board 5's district manager, at last night's community board meeting.