Tell SAISD We Want Our Schools to Stay Open

SAISD recently announced a plan to close 19 schools next school year. What they’re calling a “Rightsizing” plan would affect 12 schools within a 10 min drive of Southwest Workers Union’s office with the other 7 schools not being much further away. These school closures would affect Districts 1,2,3,4,5,and 7 with Districts 2 and 4 hit the hardest. The reasoning behind the closures according to SAISD is that resources are not being shared equally across the district and that smaller schools take more funding to run than bigger schools. In the same breath, SAISD says school closures would not be a cost saving measure. While many lofty solutions are being thrown around about what will happen to the abandoned school buildings, SAISD has not made any guarantees. The school board will vote on closures on November 13th after hosting several meetings across the district to engage with students, families, and community members about the closures and nothing is set in stone yet. Our students deserve to have their schools stay open so Southwest Workers Union encourages everyone to get to a community engagement meeting near them and let their voices be heard.

Helpful Links:

SAISD Rightsizing Study: https://www.saisd.net/page/study_sb_capacity
The teachers' union/SA Alliance's position on school closures: https://www.sanantonioalliance.org/saisd-school-closures
Our Schools-a community led organization fighting alongside SA Alliance: https://ourstudentsdeserve.org/
You can email your district's school board trustee here: https://www.saisd.net/page/dis-board-contacts

Important Dates:

Monday, Sept 25th-Thursday, Nov 2nd: Community meetings at SAISD campuses on the potential closures list.
Saturday, Oct 7th: Public Comment 101 workshop at 1416 E Commerce. SWU and DSA will be hosting a workshop on how to give an effective public comment. Join us to prepare public comments for the upcoming school board meeting!
Monday, Oct 16th: Next school board meeting at 514 W Quincy St and available on zoom and livestream. This is our last chance to let the trustees hear from us before they vote!
Monday, Nov 13th: School board meeting at 514 W Quincy St and available on zoom and livestream. This is the meeting where the trustees will vote on which schools, if any, will close.

Ways to Get Involved:

Sign our petition and have a postcard sent on your behalf to your board trustee: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/swu
Go to a community meeting: dates below
Sign SA Alliance's Solidarity Commitment: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfEE3sLBIuLSWYmQ5__kJEcA5uksulikjI078pPtWJ-m82rbQ/viewform
Got to the Oct 16th board meeting and make a public comment: Never made a public comment before? Come to our Oct 7th workshop and learn how to make an effective public comment!

Here's a list of the community meetings being hosted by SAISD. Childcare will be provided and the meetings will not end until everyone's questions have been answered.

Sept. 25 (Mon.), 6 p.m.

Beacon Hill Academy

1411 W. Ashby Place, 78201

Sept. 26 (Tues.), 6 p.m.

Collins Garden Elementary

167 Harriman Place, 78204

Sept. 27 (Wed.), 6:30 p.m.

Douglass Elementary

318 Martin Luther King Drive, 78203

Sept. 28 (Thur.), 6:30 p.m.

Martin Luther King Academy

3501 Martin Luther King Drive, 78220

Sept. 29 (Fri.), 6 p.m.

Steele Montessori

722 Haggin St., 78210

Oct. 2 (Mon.), 6 p.m. Lamar Elementary 201 Parland Place, 78209

Oct. 3 (Tues.), 6:30 p.m. Gates Elementary 510 Morningview Drive, 78220

Oct. 4 (Wed.), 6 p.m. Pershing Elementary 600 Sandmeyer St., 78208 Oct. 5 (Thur.), 6 p.m. Green Elementary 122 W. Whittier St., 78210 Oct. 11 (Wed.), 6 p.m. Foster Elementary 6718 Pecan Valley Drive, 78223 Oct. 12 (Thurs.), 6 p.m. Highland Park Elementary 635 Rigsby Ave., 78210 Oct. 14 (Sat.), 10 a.m. Baskin Elementary 630 Crestview Drive, 78201 Oct. 17 (Tues.), 6 p.m. Huppertz Elementary 247 Bangor Drive, 78228 Oct. 18 (Wed.), 6 p.m. Storm Elementary 435 Brady Blvd., 78207