This week, hundreds of parents, teachers and students in California crowded an Oakland School Board meeting to protest proposed shutdowns and consolidations that would affect 13 Oakland elementary schools. The Huffington Post reports that the plan would close five small elementary schools and consolidate eight others. "The real reason for this is we have too many schools for the number of children we have," Superintendent Tony Smith told ABC7.
But parents also placed blame on the large number of underperforming charter schools in the district that they say have drained students from public schools for the lack of funding. "There are 35 charter schools in Oakland," said one parent. "That's why our public schools are underenrolled."
The School Board will issue a final decision on Oct. 26.
Read more at ABC 7 and the Huffington Post.
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