Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1533049
ORGANIZING TO FIGHT SCHOOL CLOSURES Educators' collective action keeps our schools open By Julian Peeples " N O T O N L Y D O school closures not save the school district money today, but they will also cost the district more tomorrow," says Cassondra Curiel, president of United Educators of San Francisco (UESF). "If students, families and educators are not leading these discussions, then the dis- trict is setting itself up to fail because we're the ones in classrooms every day." C o m m u n i t i e s a r e u n d e r a tt a c k across California as school districts c onsi d er clo sin g scho ol s to "s olve" budget problems caused by declin- ing enrollment, expiration of COVID funding and inadequate funding from the state. Claiming that schools must be closed to balance district budgets and avoid a "loss of local control," superintendents in San Jose, Oakland, San Francisco, Vallejo, Sonoma County and Imperial Beach are taking their communities through school closure processes while educators organize and work to lift community voices against closures. School closures are disruptive and cause short- and long- term harm to students, families and c ommuniti es. D espit e w hat scho ol district administrators tell parents and communities, research shows that closing schools doesn't actually save any money, according to Chris Jackson, Oakland Education Association (OEA) second vice president. "In fact, they destabilize communi- ties," says Jackson, a high school science teacher. "What we've been hearing most from parents is that they 've lost trust in the process and the school board. That's where OEA is coming in to fill that gap, "Charter school encroachment is one of the top reasons that closing schools in our area is so difficult. And when charters locate in the district, it's not just the initial drain, it's an ongoing drain." —Alum Rock Educators Assn. President Sandra Rivera Parents, students and educators spoke out against school closures in Franklin McKinley School District in San Jose, where the board voted in February to close three schools. 26 cta.org Feature