SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) — A San Jose Unified committee has advanced a plan to close five schools as the district deals with a mounting budget crisis.
The decision Tuesday night came after a tense meeting between parents and school leaders. The initial proposals called for closing as many as nine elementary schools.
The district says the closures are necessary, pointing to a 20% decline in enrollment since before the pandemic.
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Parents say closing schools is the wrong answer, and many are worried about how their students will be impacted.
“The community is very strong. People are very proud of their schools,” San Jose resident Dan G. said. “You can tell it’s a magnet, it’s a center for the community, for all the kids, for all the parents. And it’s like, why disrupt that?”
Some community members said they feel like the process hasn’t been transparent and has been happening too quickly.
“I didn’t know until a couple of days ago. Somebody left a flyer on my door saying you’re going to get re-zoned, the schools will shut down. I mean the communication was horrible,” Zlatko Filipovic said.
During Tuesday’s meeting, parent after parent expressed their concerns to an advisory committee tasked with providing a recommendation to the district’s school board.
It’s unclear when the school board will make a final decision on the school closures. They are set to meet on the issue again this Thursday.
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