Denver school board members Thursday got an earful from about two dozen people over the plan to close eight schools and redesign five others.
Unlike the previous public hearing a month ago, Thursday’s meeting was more confrontational.
At times, crowd members clapped in unison, scolded Superintendent Michael Bennet and even unveiled a banner that asked: “What’s the plan?”
“If Mr. Bennet accepts these closures, shame on you,” said Curtis Dotson, a member of the Black Education Advisory Council.
The school board will vote Monday on the plan.
A month ago, a public hearing was nearly split between those in favor of the proposal and those against. But Thursday, the tone was decidedly against the proposal – with only a few voicing their approval.
Groups from northeast and northwest Denver urged board members to save their schools – specifically Hallett Elementary in northeast Denver and Smedley Elementary in the northwest.
They said that their schools have been neglected and doomed for failure by a constant shuffle of principals. Others in the two-hour meeting questioned the district’s reasoning for opening preschool- through-eighth-grade programs at Cole and Horace Mann middle schools.
Cole has had a history of closures that has bruised the community, some said.
Horace Mann has been a low-performing school, and some who spoke Thursday said it is an unsafe school.
Members of Metro Organizations for People said the Cole reopening would be too fast with too many grades at once.
But Thursday, district officials defended the plan, telling the board members that the main goal is to send students to better schools with proven leaders.
Denver Public Schools officials say closing eight schools will save the district $3.5 million a year that will follow students to their new schools and help low-performing schools.
Metro Organizations for People says the savings would be doled out unfairly, but district officials say the community group based its calculations on current students and not the same formula that the district says is more accurate.
“It takes time and it takes proving,” Brad Jupp, senior policy adviser, said. “There’s not a way to close a school and please everybody.”
Jeremy P. Meyer: 303-954-1367 or jpmeyer@denverpost.com
