Leaders from public schools, Catholic schools and local colleges told a group of real estate agents Tuesday morning to promote the diversity of quality educational opportunities when selling homes to families.

A nine-person education panel met with about 150 real estate agents at Coldwell Banker’s Coventry office to give them information about area public and private schools and colleges, and clear up any misconceptions they have about the area’s education.

The panel agreed when Steve Yager, superintendent of Northwest Allen County Schools, said real estate agents should emphasize the variety of good schools and universities when speaking to parents. Fort Wayne offers good public schools, Catholic schools, private schools, a public university, faith-based colleges and private colleges, he said.

Members of the panel presented what they thought were the best points of their institutions and discussed school safety and property taxes among other issues. The panel also debated whether there was a brain drain in Fort Wayne. A brain drain is when young and talented people leave an area for a more prosperous region.

Robinson and Yager were joined by Brian Smith, superintendent of Southwest Allen County Schools; Michael Wartell, chancellor of Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne; Stephen Kempinger, superintendent for the Fort Wayne-South Bend Area Catholic Diocese; and representatives from the University of Saint Francis, Tri-State University, Indiana Tech and Huntington University.

One of the first questions posed to the panel involved school safety, in light of recent school shootings including a deadly one at a Pennsylvania Amish schoolhouse.

Smith said it is most important for school leaders to work with teachers, students and parents and encourage them to relay any rumors they might hear about possible violent attacks. Yager said sometimes there isn’t much more school officials can do, other than keep their ears open and hire security experts.

John Bellio, president of sales for Coldwell Banker, asked the panel about property taxes and how real estate agents should discuss schools’ involvement in raising money. Smith said he wished the state legislature would find alternative ways to finance schools such as revenue from a state sales or income tax.

Robinson, on the other hand, said Fort Wayne Community Schools needs property taxes to keep up the school buildings in order to preserve property values around the city.

In regard to brain drain, Robinson said residents need to stop dumbing the city down and recognize the positive aspects of living in Fort Wayne.

People also need to recognize the talented and intelligent individuals who remain and realize that those who left to work and live in other cities were going to move anyway, despite any educational opportunities or lack thereof, she said.

Edwina Baniqued