The South Bay Union School District has been embroiled in contentious discussions following its board's unanimous decision to close two more elementary schools. The schools in question, Sunnyslope Elementary and Berry Elementary, are set to shut down in 2029 and 2032 respectively, as reported by 10News. This move comes on the heels of an earlier resolution to close Central Elementary at the end of the current school year, bringing the total number of closures to three.
During the meeting, which saw heated exchanges between the board and the public, teachers and community members expressed their dismay. Gina Maestre-Chavez, a fourth-grade teacher at Sunnyslope, told 10News that the closure is "sad that that's an option that they're looking at." The closures are a response to a severe enrollment decline, with the district losing more than 2,600 students over the past decade, according to district officials. Teacher job security and placement following the closures were also of major concern.
Moreover, the board's decision to close the schools wasn't the only catalyst for upset. According to NBC San Diego, teachers walked out of the district meeting after the board voted to approve an interim superintendent's pay package amounting to nearly $18,500 a month. This development occurred against the backdrop of teachers rallying outside due to a drawn-out contract negotiation process, which has been ongoing for more than a year.
The district cited declining enrollment and revenues as the driving factors for its decision, suggesting that keeping under-enrolled schools open would only exacerbate financial strain and impact equitable service delivery across all schools. Yet, the pay package approval has raised questions about fiscal priorities. Michelle Gates, secretary of the Southwest Teachers Association, emphasized to 10News, "You lose students when you close schools because they will go looking somewhere else because we present ourselves as not stable." This sentiment was echoed during the meeting, as teachers, hinting that district leaders have misplaced priorities, expressed their concerns vividly.
Amid the unrest, the Southwest Teachers Association has signaled their readiness to strike in February if their contract demands are not met, which would mark a historic first for the union. The district, for its part, has stated that the plan for school consolidation is phased and that it will continue to evaluate enrollment and financial data to assess the need for further closures, potentially reversing decisions based on future circumstances. However, Gates questioned the rationale behind announcing potential closures, asking “But then why put them out at all?” according to her statement obtained by 10News.
