DENVER — With nine days left until the Denver Public Schools Board of Education votes on seven recommended school closures and three "grade level restructures," many impacted parents and activists wonder if money from the newly passed bond could be used to save their schools. Denver Public Schools (DPS) officials told Denver7 it's not that simple.
Parents and teachers at Schmitt Elementary School, one of the seven schools recommended for closure, shared their frustrations with members of the DPS Board of Education Tuesday during a public comment session.
"This is not a school. This is a family," said one parent.
DPS Superintendent Alex Marrero said budget shortfalls amid declining enrollment have forced him to make tough decisions, including school closures and restructures. The southwest Denver school was selected for closure because it met certain criteria, such as a low building utilization rate and a lack of a full kindergarten class.
Along with parents and teachers at impacted schools, an activist group called Movimiento Poder is pushing back against the closure plans.
"It is beyond too fast and it is traumatic," said Elizabeth Burciaga with Movimiento Poder.
The group is begging the district to consider other options rather than closures and restructures. It has planned several rallies at the impacted schools to talk with parents and hopefully change the district's mind.
"The district has money... The district just won an initiative, you know, and there's a lot of money that could be supported to help these schools," said Burciaga, citing the $975 million bond that was passed by Denver voters on Nov. 5.
Denver7 asked DPS leaders if money from the bond could be used to keep schools open.
"It is state law that that money has to be used on capital improvements such as renovations, A/C. So at the end of this, all of our schools will have A/C, some safety and technology updates, wiring, parking lots, things like that," said DPS spokesperson Javier Ibarra.
Ibarra said keeping schools open doesn't fall under capital improvements.
"Think more renovations, building new schools," he explained.
In October, the district said improvements would still be made to schools on the closure list since the district does not plan to sell the buildings.
The DPS Board of Education will vote on the recommended closures on Nov. 21, just two weeks after the closure list was revealed. The district said there's a reason for the short timeline.
"We need to make sure that we don't hold this or carry this process out for too long because people need to make arrangements," said Ibarra.
With time fading, others said their voices won't be shut down, even if that is what happens to their neighborhood schools.
"Two weeks is not enough. How can you tell a student and a parent and an educator you have two weeks to see if your school's worthy?" said Burciaga. "That's shameful."
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