PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Philadelphia School Board heard from nearly 100 public speakers Thursday night opposed to the school district’s facilities plan that would close 18 schools.
Students, elected officials and members of the public nearly all implored the board to spare their schools from closing under the superintendent’s facilities proposal. Student Juniper Sok Saro spoke against closing Lankenau Environmental High School.
“Nobody in this room is in support of the plan and you understand you shout not adopt it,” she said. “It’s as simple as that.”
Parkway Northwest student Lyric Jenkins said he didn’t believe student voices were being heard.
“Holding a meeting is not the same as listening. Recording our comments is not the same as hearing us,” he said.
City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier urged the board to pump the brakes on the facilities plan.
“Slow down, show up, show your works and show care and respect to the communities you’re impacting," she said.
School Board President Reginald Steater told students that the facilities crisis was a result of chronic underfunding.
“When we said it, it fell on deaf ears,” he said. “So I’m hoping that if you don’t feel heard, others who’ve had to listen to us will hear your voices directly.”
The district said more than 150 buildings would be modernized under the $2.8 billion proposal, but that 18 would close to create educational equity and address a trend of declining enrollment.
The facilities plan is subject to approval by the nine-member school board, but the board has not indicated when it will vote.