Two elementary schools in Alameda County will be shut down at the end of the school year, causing an outcry within the community.
Despite protests from parents, teachers, staff and students, the Hayward Unified School District Board voted in favor of closing Bowman and Strobridge elementary schools Wednesday night during a Special Board of Education meeting.
"It's terrible what they're doing right now," an upset father whose daughter attends Ochoa Middle School told KPIX. "They're trying to close down her school as well as a number of others."
The conversation surrounding the closures has been ongoing for months due to budget constraints and declining enrollment. HUSD was designed to accommodate 28,000 students across their 29 schools, but projections show that enrollment could drop to under 17,000 students.
"While this is difficult news for our Strobridge and Bowman communities, HUSD is committed to supporting their students, families, and staff through the transition and helping them discover the new opportunities they will gain by being part of their new school communities," a district spokesperson said in a statement to KCBS Radio.
In October, HUSD announced that they were considering shutting down 14 schools across the county.
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