Nearly three weeks after Denver Public Schools announced its plan to close several schools, the district is now hosting its only public comment meeting on the decision.
Fairview Elementary School parent Summer Patterson is one of the dozens of parents signed up to speak at the meeting on Monday.
"They're just thinking about money and the numbers, and that's not right," said Patterson. "They're not really thinking about these kids' education and what they go through."
The district recently narrowed its list from 10 schools to five, but Fairview Elementary is still on the closure list. A DPS spokesperson said closing the schools will save the district millions of dollars, or enough to hire a couple dozen more teachers.
"I want them to know how this community is a family. Like, everyone knows everyone over here, all the kids know each other," she said. "You can't take that away from these kids."
Milo Marquez, the chair of the Latino Education Coalition, told CBS News Colorado the list for consolidation continues to disproportionately affect Latino families.
"Our marginalized communities, our Latinos that live in these communities, they face different challenges than other groups, than other communities. Our families are more than likely to receive multi-language instruction in the classroom settings," Marquez said. "We also know that a lot of our community members don't have means of transportation."
Marquez is now calling on the board to put a pause on all closures, consolidations and unifications.
"What that will allow us to do is work with these families to make sure DPS and the administration have really throughout this process and how they're going to support the needs of this community that are going to be impacted by these closures," he said.
Patterson hopes all parents and community members unhappy with the decision will give their thoughts before it's too late.
"It's about the kids, not the numbers, so just like speak up, don't be afraid," said Patterson.
The sign-up for public comment on the school closures ended on Thursday, but the community can still attend the public meeting virtually or in person. For more information on that, you can visit: https://board.dpsk12.org/meeting/#public
Dozens of parents sign up for Denver Public Schools' only public comment on closure
/ CBS Colorado
Nearly three weeks after Denver Public Schools announced its plan to close several schools, the district is now hosting its only public comment meeting on the decision.
Fairview Elementary School parent Summer Patterson is one of the dozens of parents signed up to speak at the meeting on Monday.
"They're just thinking about money and the numbers, and that's not right," said Patterson. "They're not really thinking about these kids' education and what they go through."
The district recently narrowed its list from 10 schools to five, but Fairview Elementary is still on the closure list. A DPS spokesperson said closing the schools will save the district millions of dollars, or enough to hire a couple dozen more teachers.
"I want them to know how this community is a family. Like, everyone knows everyone over here, all the kids know each other," she said. "You can't take that away from these kids."
Milo Marquez, the chair of the Latino Education Coalition, told CBS News Colorado the list for consolidation continues to disproportionately affect Latino families.
"Our marginalized communities, our Latinos that live in these communities, they face different challenges than other groups, than other communities. Our families are more than likely to receive multi-language instruction in the classroom settings," Marquez said. "We also know that a lot of our community members don't have means of transportation."
Marquez is now calling on the board to put a pause on all closures, consolidations and unifications.
"What that will allow us to do is work with these families to make sure DPS and the administration have really throughout this process and how they're going to support the needs of this community that are going to be impacted by these closures," he said.
Patterson hopes all parents and community members unhappy with the decision will give their thoughts before it's too late.
"It's about the kids, not the numbers, so just like speak up, don't be afraid," said Patterson.
The sign-up for public comment on the school closures ended on Thursday, but the community can still attend the public meeting virtually or in person. For more information on that, you can visit: https://board.dpsk12.org/meeting/#public
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