The six Worthington students who attend Metro High School may be forced to return to school in Worthington, thanks to a recent decision by Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann.

Dann ruled last week that districts may not pass on tuition charges to parents who choose to send their children to independent alternative schools like the Metro School.

Metro High School is a first-of-its-kind public math, science and technology high school that just completed its first year. Nearly 100 freshmen from several of the 16 Franklin County districts attended.

Tuition for the students attending the school pays for the day-to-day expenses, specifically salaries, while The Ohio State University and Battelle cover the major expenses.

Most districts paid all of the $6,000 tuition for their students last year, but the Worthington Board of Education required full payment from parents.

Board members were skeptical of even allowing the district to take part in the program, and some took an "I-told-you-so" attitude on Monday night.

"I don't feel any obligation whatsoever to any of these students," said board member David Bressman.

He introduced a motion to withdraw the district's participation in the program, but allowed the motion to be postponed to give administrators an opportunity to work out a deal with the Metro School.

He said he would agree to let the parents continue to pay the tuition as long as the Metro School signed a "hold harmless" agreement with the district.

Superintendent of Schools Melissa Conrath said she would not like to see the students pulled out of the program, especially since the school year has already started.

But Bressman pointed out that it was Dann who chose to issue his decision two weeks after school started.

"These parents should not be directing their anger at us," Bressman said.

Dann's move is part of Gov. Strickland's efforts to "sweep under the rug" any support of charter schools, and the students are getting caught up in a game of "political football," Bressman said.

Board member Jennifer Best said she wanted to give administrators a chance to work on behalf of the students at the Metro School.

"What will the kids do tomorrow if we pass this," she asked.

Conrath said she hopes to resolve the situation within the next couple of days.

If necessary, the board will call a special session to withdraw its support for the school, board members said.

In a separate action, the board voted 4-1 to permit one student to attend the Ft. Hayes Performing Arts Program, where he will study guitar.

Ft. Hayes is a vocational school operated by Columbus Public Schools,

Until two years ago, Worthington contracted with Columbus to provide vocational programs for its students. That contract was switched to Delaware Vocational Schools.

At the time of the decision, it was noted that the only program not provided by Delaware was the performing arts program. According to Best, who was on the board when the change was made, the board committed to paying to send students to Ft. Hayes if they were accepted into that program.

Bressman voted "no."

In other matters on Monday, the board approved the emergency replacement of boilers at Sutter Park Preschool, where recent inspections showed internal corrosion indicating the boilers would not pass inspection for the coming winter months.

Because of the emergency, formal bidding and advertising requirements will be waived.

In a related matter, Bressman said he was "aghast" to learn recently that the gymnasiums at Brookside, Colonial Hills, and Wilson Hill elementary schools and Thomas Worthington High School are not air conditioned.

"This is Worthington, I thought air-conditioning was standard here," he said.

Facilities director Tim Gehring said that installing air conditioning in the gyms was a low priority in the list of projects to be completed with bond issue money.