School-plan opponents take last shot; board will vote Monday
By Nancy Mitchell, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Published November 16, 2007 at 1:45 a.m.
Dozens of opponents to a Denver Public Schools proposal to close schools made a last-ditch effort Thursday to persuade school board members to vote no.
Several came armed with data: charts and graphs showing either progress at their schools or inequities in the DPS plan.
Some brought only their eloquence. "If the school board accepts these closings, shame on you," said Curtis Dotson with the Black Educators Advisory Council, launching into a rhyme, "Shame, shame, double shame, everybody knows your name."
But with the board vote slated for Monday, it's unclear how much influence the speakers carried. Board members did not respond during the two hours of public comment, which is typical during their public hearings.
It was clear that some speakers, at least, believe board members already have made up their minds. The Rev. Bryce Rodgers, representing parents at Hallett Elementary in northeast Denver, tapped the microphone a couple of times before speaking.
"Is this on?" he asked twice before directing his remarks to board members. "Because you know what? It seems like we're not being heard."
More than 25 speakers addressed board members on the closure proposal, with only a handful speaking in support of the plan.
Scores of observers filled the board meeting room and, at one point in the evening, an overflow crowd of 40 was seated upstairs watching the meeting on a large TV. Thursday's public hearing was the last chance for comment before the board vote on Monday. As in meetings past, parents and neighbors from Smedley Elementary in northwest Denver and from northeast Denver - Hallett, Wyman and Mitchell elementaries - were most vocal.
"It clearly seems to be a done deal," Smedley mom Maria Reyes said through an interpreter. "Any board member would have to be fooling themselves to believe this is a public process."
As she spoke, her young daughter and niece, both Smedley students, held up a sign reading, "Where is the plan? Is the plan to experiment with our kids?"
After the hearing, board members reconvened their meeting and spent more than an hour questioning DPS staff about the proposal. DPS Chief of Staff Sarah Hughes said a final draft of the motions to be voted on Monday will be completed this weekend.
DPS proposal
*Closing: Del Pueblo, Fallis, Hallett, Mitchell, Remington, Smedley, Whiteman and Wyman elementaries.
*Changing: Cole, Gilpin, Horace Mann, Kunsmiller and Place middle schools.
*What's next: DPS board votes Monday on the proposal.
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