The San José Unified School District Board of Education voted three to two on March 26, forwarding a motion to close five schools and relocate one. 

Parents were filled with mixed emotions as they waited in their seats for a decision from the board. 

Veronica Guzman, the founder of the Yo Soy Tu Voz (I Am Your Voice) parent group, said people have been fighting with the district for many years about this issue.

“They knew about the school situation and did nothing to prevent it, because they simply did not care,” Guzman said. “Many of their trustees should be ashamed for not being proactive, ensuring and prioritizing children’s education.”

When the vote was cast, parents and community members were outspokenly outraged and left the meeting with tears in their eyes.

Since the Schools of Tomorrow Advisory Committee was established six months ago, parents and community members have attended meetings to voice their concerns against the potential closures of schools. 

For all the closing schools, the process will begin immediately as all students are set to move to designated schools the following school year, according to a Schools of Tomorrow March 27 update.

The following changes will be made to San José Unified School District attending school bodies, according to the same update:

Students from Empire Gardens Elementary will all move to Anne Darling Elementary. 

For Lowell Elementary, Special Day Class preschool students will move to Grant Elementary, while all other students will move to Washington Elementary. 

Both Canoas and Gardner Elementary will close and move to Horace Mann and Ernesto Galarza Elementary, respectively.

Terrell Elementary is going to be split as its Special Day Class will be sent to Reed Elementary and the rest will be placed at Rachel Carson Elementary. 

The Hammer Montessori program will be moved into Gardner Elementary. 

Silvia Scandar Mahan, spouse of San José’s Mayor Matt Mahan, spoke on his behalf at the meeting. 

“San José public schools are one of our communities most important institutions, decisions that reshape them will affect families and neighborhoods for decades,” Scandar Mahan said. “This is why it’s essential that parents are meaningfully involved from the beginning. Families feel that this process has asked them to react to a plan rather than shape a solution.” 

The affected faculty and staff have been notified as of Friday, March 27, according to the Schools of Tomorrow March 27 document.

Laura Cain, a community member, said she is outraged about Thursday’s decision and is already thinking about what the community should do next.  

“We’ll just keep fighting for our kids,” Cain said.

Many community members came out in support against the decision, speaking out on why the decision should have been made.

Sammy Cappola, a San José Unified employee who spoke at the meeting representing the bus drivers, food service, technology and grounds of the district, said the board needs to push through this measure to allow students to have the resources they deserve.

“After being on these committees for the last six months it became apparent to me that these underpopulated schools need some help, my members came to me in fear once this topic was brought up,” Cappola said. 

Many staff members have asked Cappola about if they are losing their jobs or going to have to take a pay cut, but says the district has been clear about the situation.  

“I respectfully urge the board not to move forward with this Schools of Tomorrow proposal and instead work directly with parents and educators who are most affected by these decisions,” Scandar Mahan said. 

The district plans on making a transport program for any children who live more than one-and-a-half miles away from their new school assignment lasting throughout the rest of their elementary school careers, according to a Schools of Tomorrow update form.

Around 16,000 students will be affected by the school closures, according to a March 26 article from ABC7 News.

“Parents should be partners in shaping their schools, not an afterthought,” Scandar Mahan said. 

The San José Unified School District plans for changes to occur in the Fall of this year.