Students, educators cite impact on Black students and lack of transparency in rally against proposed Philly school closures

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More than 100 students, educators and advocates rallied before Thursday night’s Philadelphia Board of Education meeting to protest the school district’s recent proposal to shut down 20 schools.

The district’s proposal was met with swift opposition, with many citing a lack of transparency in the decision-making process.

“How do you have buy-in when you don’t involve the community that you are engaging in and you keep them in the dark?” said Diane Payne, a retired teacher. “How do you think you’re going to have success?”

Payne said the district should engage with Philadelphians for this process to be successful. If they don’t, she said, there will be increased chaos and confusion. She cited the perceived failures of 2013, when the district shuttered 23 schools.

“2013 was a mess,” Payne said. “This will be a mess also.”

Overcrowding and disproportionate closings

Ella Nguyen, a student at Northeast High School, said that while her school is not slated to be closed, it will not be unaffected. The school is already overpopulated, she said.

“Most hallways are crammed and hard to get through,” Nguyen said. “With the closure of multiple schools, the issue will only be worse, as it could potentially create safety issues.”

Crowded schools also set up a fight for student resources, she said. More students means less support from teachers to go around. Nguyen said people might struggle just to get into their choice of programs or classes.

“This doesn’t only affect the present, but also the future. The youth matters, and the district should be listening,” Ngyuen said.

Melanie Silva is the parent of another student in another crowded school in Northeast Philadelphia. The Facilities Master Plan doesn’t do enough to address the overcrowding in the district’s north, according to Silva.

Being of Brazilian heritage, Silva said she is highly concerned for the immigrant population in the northeast, which she said is being forgotten. Data collected by Ryan Pfleger, an education researcher in the city, backed up Silva’s concern.

Pfleger cited in his testimony that 15 out of the 20 schools scheduled to be closed are majority Black, disproportionately affecting both low-income and minority communities.

“This is disparate racial impact,” Pfleger said.

The future of Lankenau

Dozens of students and teachers from Lankenau Environmental Science Magnet High School, slated to be closed and merged with Roxborough High School, came out to the rally. Advocates of Lankeanu defended its unique traits and merits, including its proximity and access to outdoor activities. The school sits near the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education and there’s a working farm right down the road. Some Lankenau students participate in a bird-watching club and hike around campus.

The school also boasts one of the highest performing career and technical education programs in the district, according to Rob Bird, a Lankenau special education teacher.

“It would change the entire dynamic of what our school is about and our messaging,” Bird said. “We would lose our [career and technical education] accommodation. That wouldn’t just transfer to Roxborough.”

Bird noted that almost 100 incoming freshmen chose Lankenau.

“For them to say that enrollment is one of the reasons for us closing is bogus,” he said.

Jonathan Hoffmeier, a math teacher at Lankeanu, is familiar with school closures and the fallout. When he first joined the district, he taught at University City. There was an outdoor garden and a small athletic field.

“I sometimes drive by there in West Philly now,” Hoffmeier said. “At 3601 Filbert St., it’s just a parking lot now.”

No final decisions

Members of the board emphasized that the proposed closures are not set in stone. For the next month, almost daily community conversations to receive further feedback from community members on the plan.

The district will submit Facilities Master Plan recommendations on Feb. 26 at the monthly action meeting, where the board will vote whether or not to adopt the proposal.