Several PPS parents, students rally against proposal to close schools

Several parents, students and community members rallied in front of the PPS Administration building Monday chanting, “Closed minds close schools.”

They want their message to get across to administrators with Pittsburgh Public Schools. They’re demanding more answers as to what the facilities utilization plan means for students.

“We’re not hearing the transparency,” said a woman with 412Justice, an education rights group.

Some parents said there is still a lot of confusion about what the plan entails even after going to several town halls.

“It’s all about finances and buildings and there’s really nothing in there with what’s going to happen with our kids,” said PPS parent Jessie Merlin.

The plan takes a look at a number of schools operating at a capacity of 50% or less. As enrollment continues to decline and the school district’s massive budget gap grows, administrators have repeatedly said school closures are possible but won’t say that for sure.

“I want you to know our approach did not identify any schools for closure. This does not mean that will not happen,” Superintendent Dr. Wayne Walters said in a video posted to the PPS website.

Jessie Merlin has two daughters who go to Woolslair Elementary, a school that’s been saved from the chopping block before. She said closing schools would only hurt students’ education.

“Kids like mine are going to be in classes that are way overcrowded, where teachers are stressed more than they already are, and have to go out of their neighborhoods,” Merlin said. “All of these things are things that have the potential to lead to worse academic achievement.”

PPS parent Jazlynn Worthy agreed, adding her children wouldn’t know the staff like they do at Woolslair.

“That’s important for us to develop these relationships with the faculty,” Worthy said.

Consolidations could also lead to bigger class sizes, which is what sixth-grade Schiller student Lily Allman, 11, said she doesn’t want to go through again.

“Not fun,” Lily said. “There’s only one teacher. There wasn’t any support, like extra help with my teacher.”

Several parents and students have gone to numerous town halls about the plan but say they’re not being heard.

Lily’s mother, Valerie Webb-Allman said closing schools is not the answer.

“Let us tell you what this has done to our families,” she said. “Let us tell you what this has done to our communities, so we can build a more revitalized school district that brings families back to the district because that’s the solution.”

There is no list yet of which schools could close or when that could happen.

A district spokesperson said several proposed “scenarios” will be ready for families next month. Channel 11 tried to get some clarity but our repeated requests for an interview with the superintendent went unanswered.

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