San Jose school board votes to close five elementary schools
Parents rally as San Jose Unified considers closing up to nine schools
Emotions ran high Tuesday night as parents packed a meeting in the South Bay over a proposal by the San Jose Unified School District to close up to nine elementary schools.
SAN JOSE, Calif. - The San Jose Unified School District has approved a consolidation plan that will see the closure of five of its elementary schools.
A tough decision
What we know:
The vote comes after months of debate, rallies and objections by parents and students.
On Thursday, the night of the school board's vote, there was sadness and anger among the elementary school families.
Among the schools impacted by the closure will be Empire Gardens, Lowell, Gardner, Terrell and Canoas. These schools will close next school year following the SJUSD Board of Education's vote.
School officials have said there has been a 20% decline in enrollment at these schools since the 2017-2018 school year.
The community also learned an additional school, Hammer Montessori, will be consolidated with another school.
Parents & students emotional
Parents and students weighed in on the board's decision.
"Low enrollment is an excuse for them. Enrollment may be down, but we are not funded by enrollment. We are funded by property taxes that everyone in San Jose pays," said parent Maeve Naughton.
Another student expressed grief over the plan. They didn't want to lose friends over schools closing and having to be sent elsewhere and starting all over again.
Some said their schools were more than just buildings and were more like communities.
School board's statement
The Board of Education released the following statement in defense of their decision. "The recommended consolidations and special program relocations are expected to deliver the greatest benefits for English learners, foster youth, students from low-income families, and students with disabilities."
The other side:
A group of parents told KTVU that they have filed a legal complaint against the district this week.
They said there has been discrimination and a lack of community input in this process. Parents also said the closures predominantly affect the district's most vulnerable students.
The school board did not do an interview with KTVU for this story.
This is a developing news story. We will keep you updated with the latest information as we learn those details.
