Students of all ages gathered at a recent Denver school board meeting to voice their concerns about the potential closure or restructuring of several schools in the district. From high school seniors to first-graders, each student took a turn at the lectern to plead with the board to reconsider their decision.
As the Board of Education prepares to vote on the fate of seven schools, children and teens have been vocal in their opposition to Superintendent Alex Marrero’s consolidation plan, which aims to address declining enrollment. Marrero’s proposal includes closing schools like Castro, Columbian, Palmer, Schmitt, International Academy of Denver at Harrington, West Middle School, and the Denver School of Innovation and Sustainable Design.
Students have been actively engaging with the district’s budget sheets and researching the impact of school closures on dropout rates. They have also proposed alternative solutions to the district’s enrollment challenges, such as merging schools to create a more sustainable educational environment.
During the board meeting, students from schools like DCIS Baker and the Denver School of Innovation and Sustainable Design led walkouts in protest of the potential closures. Seniors like Kennah Phoenix Davis and Nayeli Fenton-Ortiz spoke out against the inequities of the superintendent’s plan, highlighting how it would disproportionately affect students of color and those from lower-income families.
Even younger students, like 8-year-old Quinn Somers from Palmer Elementary, shared their heartfelt pleas to keep their schools open. Quinn expressed her desire to stay with her friends at Palmer and not be forced to move to another school.
Despite not being directly impacted by the closures, students like Davis and Fenton-Ortiz continue to advocate for their schools because they care deeply about their education and community.
