SAN ANTONIO — On Wednesday night, tempers flared at a Harlandale campus as the looming question still remains on the possible closures, consolidations of five campuses.
The school district is facing a big deficit, and school officials said this is the best decision for the district’s future. But, not everyone agrees.
The Harlandale School Board has not made a decision yet, but is expected at the end of the month. Families packed STEM Early College High School with signs against the closures. But, there were parents in support of the move. There is still more opportunity for people in the school district to give their feedback before the school board makes a decision.
The school district cites financial challenges, declining enrollment, and increased costs. At the meeting it cited a $12 million deficit. And officials said there has been a decline in enrollment of more than 25 percent since 2015.
Officials said if this does not happen, in a year from now there will be a much different conversation like layoffs. Of course, parents spoke in front of the board saying this is not a right move. Signs read: ‘Don’t close a top performing school.’ Others, however said this is needed to secure the school district’s future.
Below are the five campuses in question:
- Columbia Heights Elementary
- Morrill Elementary
- Rayburn Elementary
- Vestal Elementary
- Jewel Weitzel Center
Roman Pena and Lillian Zapata are against the move. They spoke at the meeting Wednesday night.
“We have to defend Harlandale,” Pena said. “We have to keep those schools open.”
“It seems like a drastic measure they want to take,” Zapata said. “It is like the sky is falling, the sky is falling right now. When this problem has been for years.”
However, on the other side Esmeralda Campos and Fidel Contreras both support the move.
“We are asking for the community to have an open mind about what is happening,” she said. “Change is not easy. It is not. It stings. But, how are they going to feel the day they are told, you know what Harlandale ISD is no more.”
“So, some of these people that kind of think negative, they have to open their mind to what is going on around us,” Contreras said.
The board has another meeting on March 20, and parents can give their feedback then. The board is expected to vote on this matter at the meeting later this month on the 27. For more information go to their website.