Olympia School District parent oppose proposed school closures

In Olympia, frustrated parents are fighting to stop a proposal that would close and consolidate schools. The district is one of many around the sound now grappling with declining enrollment and budget deficits. Fox 13's Shira Matsuzawa has been talking to parents. We are here at Madison Elementary, one of the schools part of that proposal. And earlier this morning, I talked with one parent as she was dropping off her first grader about that possible closure. It feels like an erosion of public trust because we We elected the school board members into this position to represent us. And if they vote to close the schools, then they're not necessarily representing the public. The parents and the community members really are ready to partner with the school board rather than have it be adversarial. We really want to partner together to keep these schools open and help think of creative solutions to make our schools vibrant and even more rooted in the community. That's Naomi. She tells me part of the reason they chose to live in this neighborhood is because of the school here and the community. And she's not alone. Last night, dozens of parents testified during the public comment portion of the school board meeting, the majority of them against these closures. The proposal would close McKinney Elementary, along with Madison and L.P. Brown Elementary schools, And the superintendent for the Olympia School District says the closures are necessary as enrollment within the school district has been down and the district is reportedly facing financial challenges. But Olympia isn't the only school district dealing with this. Districts across our region are facing declining enrollment and budget deficits. Right now, North Shore, Seattle and Bellingham school districts are all considering possible school closures. And here at Madison, you can see there is a sign out front that says, save our schools. The final vote on this proposal is scheduled for November 12th. In Olympia, Shira Matsuzawa Fox 13 News.