Alameda District Proposes Major School Closures
ALAMEDA: Up To Eight Schools Could Be Shut Down Due To Budget Woes
Updated on: 2010-10-22 03:40:29
Emotions ran high at a meeting in Alameda Thursday evening as parents and teachers voiced their opposition to a plan proposed by the Alameda Unified School District that could shut down up to eight schools in the next two years.
Anywhere from two to eight schools in the district may be shuttered under the new plan. The idea would initially be to close both of the district's middle schools. Some students would remain in elementary schools, while others would be sent to high school campuses.
Parent Tracie Reames was picking up her friend's son from music practice from at Lincoln Middle School Thursday afternoon. Lincoln is on the chopping block along with Wood Middle School.
"I just find it sad," Reames said. "I moved from Michigan to Alameda because the schools are suppose to be so good. The schools are good, but if you don't have the funding, what are you suppose to do?"
Various options were being considered, but the district's most likely scenario would have sixth graders continue in expanded elementary schools while seventh and eighth graders would join either Alameda or Encinal High Schools.
The following year, six elementary schools could close.
Jacqueline Jackson told KTVU she's concerned about the influence of older students on her great-grandson Devion. She was also concerned about teachers being stretched too thin.
The School District said because of cuts in funding and a failure to pass a parcel tax, they've already cut $7 million this year and must cut another $13 million during the next two years to balance the budget.
"It's not that we're here because we think these are the educationally sound things to do," Alameda Schools Superintendent Kirsten Vital said. "They are the realities of districts all over the state of California who are in the same budget crisis that we are in."
About 150 teachers and parents gathered for a public hearing Thursday night at the Ruby Bridges Elementary School to express opposition to the plan.
"Look, you've already said that you have great schools. Why screw with that?" asked Alameda parent Pat Willis. "Why blow up the model here on top of a radical campus footprint alteration? It just doesn't make sense."
The school board will vote on the proposed changes in December. Board members said they hope to get a new parcel tax measure on the ballot in March that, if passed, might allow all of the schools slated for closure to remain open.
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Víctor Lei
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