'Don't do this to our kids': Hundreds of Seattle parents rally against school closures

Hundreds of parents flooded the Seattle School Board meeting on Wednesday to speak out against proposed school closures.

The outcry comes a week after Seattle Public Schools officials released new proposals that would shutter as many as 21 elementary and K-8 schools next fall and trigger sweeping school boundary changes and other reconfigurations across the district.

The closures are part of the district's efforts to fill a nearly $100 million budget gap. Other belt-tightening measures, like staffing reductions, will also likely be necessary.

Wednesday's school board meeting marked the first chance for families to address the board since the proposals came out with the names of specific schools on the chopping block — and families clearly had some thoughts.

As of Tuesday afternoon, nearly 150 people had signed up to testify — for just 25 available spots.

And on Wednesday afternoon, just before the meeting, over 300 parents, kids, activists, and former school board members gathered outside, rallying to keep schools open. Many of them wore red and carried signs with messages like "don't do this to our kids."

Inside, a parade of parents and students delivered emotional appeals to the board.

Mela Erickson is the parent of two students at TOPS K-8. The school has the district's only program for deaf and hard of hearing students, and is slated for closure in one of the district's two plans shared last week.

“For many of these students, TOPS is the only place where they have access to multiple adults and peers who sign," Erickson told the board. "Imagine not being able to communicate with anyone in your community almost everywhere you go. That is my daughter's experience of the world.”

District officials have said closures would improve special education services by more evenly distributing resources and staff to all schools.

But that argument has fallen flat for some parents, including Corrine Banguero, whose two sons attend Thornton Creek Elementary. Both boys are gifted, but have learning disabilities and receive special education and specialty services at the option school.

And, Banguero told the board, they've both thrived there.

Banguero's oldest son started at a traditional school and "experienced total burnout in a single semester," she said. And for her younger son, it's impossible to sit still for six hours a day. At Thornton Creek, he doesn't have to because of the "expeditionary learning style."

"We found our perfect fit and community in Thornton Creek, where my sons are not viewed as problematic, but rather, valued members of the community," Banguero said. "Equal is not equity in education. Homogenized schools take away a child's ability to learn how they learn best."

Superintendent Brent Jones thanked attendees for their input, and stressed that the district would take all feedback into account.

"I appreciate your involvement in this process," he said. "It's your engagement that makes our school system special."

The district will continue to collect input during community meetings starting next week.