SAN ANTONIO — Thursday evening, parents made a final plea to the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD).
The school board will decide whether to close 19 campuses in less than two weeks. It’s part of a cost-cutting plan.
SAISD rolled out its 'Rightsizing' proposal in August, and held nearly two dozen community engagement meetings since.
Diana Lopez told KENS 5 the process feels rushed.
“Douglass Elementary is scheduled to close next year and my child just started there,” said Lopez. “I’m sad and I’m angry. The district has known for two decades [about the declining enrollment]. Three months ago, they began rolling out this process.”
Lopez says her child’s elementary school holds more than countless memories. The 1800's schoolhouse preserves history.
Douglass Elementary, named after Frederick Douglass, was San Antonio’s first free public school for Black students.
“The history must not be lost,” said Pastor Otis Mitchell with Mt. Zion First Baptist Church.
Douglass is one of 14 elementary schools on SAISD’s chopping block. Four early childhood centers and a dual language academy could also shudder their doors if the plan is approved.
Enrollment has dropped by 18,326 students since 1998, according to SAISD. Officials say the district’s birthrate has declined by 36% between 2007 and 2021.
“Some schools are empty,” an SAISD official said at Thursday’s meeting. “When that happens, it means that those campuses can’t have all of the resources. So, we take money from larger schools to help subsidize the smaller schools.”
Several parents begged SAISD to reconsider other options. However, some supported the proposal.
“Forbes [Elementary] is lacking resources for our students,” said a parent. “I think it’s a positive change.”
Lopez believes the whole community will miss out if Douglass Elementary closes.
“The City of San Antonio really loses a cultural connection into the past,” Lopez said.
District leaders say they will use feedback from the meetings to fine tune the recommendation to the board.
It will be a package deal, so board members won’t be able to pick which schools to close. It will be a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ decision on November 13th.