Concerned parents, lawmakers, and education advocates gathered outside the Denver Public Schools office to protest Superintendent Alex Marrero’s expected proposal to close schools next month. Led by Movimiento Poder, a grassroots organization advocating for Latino communities, the group urged the Board of Education to engage with DPS families and find alternatives to closures. Marrero cited declining enrollment as the reason behind the proposed closures, with three schools shut down last year due to low enrollment. Movimiento Poder criticized the lack of community input in the decision-making process and the detrimental impact of closures on minority and low-income communities. A new board policy prohibits using enrollment numbers to justify closures, but advocates argue that gentrification, rising home costs, and lower birth rates are driving enrollment declines. With nearly 10% of district schools having fewer than 215 students last year, the community is anxiously waiting to see if their child’s school will be on the closure list. The district’s enrollment has been on a decline, with elementary school numbers dropping steadily over the past decade. The protests shed light on the impact of school closures on vulnerable communities and call for greater transparency and community involvement in decision-making processes.
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Photo credit denvergazette.com
Parents in Denver Concerned About Potential School Closures
