DENVER — Ahead of a scheduled vote by the Denver Public Schools Board of Education, members of the community gathered both in person and virtually Monday to speak out in a public comment meeting concerning proposed school closures.
More than 180 community members had registered to speak as of the beginning of Monday's meeting on behalf of their neighborhood schools.
Initially, DPS selected 10 elementary and middle schools that would close and be consolidated into neighboring schools.
On Nov. 10, DPS announced a modification, saying it will "prioritize" the following five schools:
- Denver Discovery School
- Schmitt Elementary
- Fairview Elementary
- International Academy of Denver at Harrington
- Math and Science Leadership Academy.
DPS blames declining enrollment for the need to merge school populations, an issue that districts across the country are facing amid falling birthrates and migrations into private and charter schools.
At the beginning of Monday evening's meeting, school board vice president Auon'tai Anderson made clear he will be a "proud no vote" on the proposal, saying the public comment meeting was a "performative show" and the impending decision is not "community lead." Anderson then left his designated seat amongst the board, saying instead he would sit amongst the audience members.
DPS is scheduled to vote on the proposed closures Thursday.
In the video above, you can hear just a few of the many comments made during Monday night's meeting.