Hundreds of Franklin Township parents are gearing up for a fight over a proposal to permanently close Franklin Elementary, and they are making it clear they are prepared to take the battle beyond the school board. The roughly 100 students currently enrolled at Franklin would be sent to nearby Menallen Elementary, a move parents argue would mean longer bus rides and more packed classrooms. With a public hearing and final vote set for March 23, families have turned that meeting into the centerpiece of their campaign.
Parents promise a legal fight and gather signatures
According to reporting by WPXI, organizers say they intend to petition the Fayette County Court of Common Pleas and the Pennsylvania Department of Education if the board votes to close Franklin. Organizer Cody Martin told WPXI that families have collected what he called "almost 1,000" signatures in support of keeping the school open and that residents plan to show up wearing red when they deliver the petition to the board. WPXI also noted that the station reached out to board members, who had not immediately responded to requests for comment.
District posts March 23 public hearing
The Uniontown Area School District has posted official notice that a public hearing will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, March 23, in the Uniontown High School auditorium to consider permanently closing Franklin Elementary or reconfiguring district schools, according to the meeting agenda from the Uniontown Area School District. The notice describes the hearing as a fact-finding session before any final decision is made, giving families a formal chance to submit testimony and documentation.
Capacity and commute worries drive opposition
Fans of keeping Franklin open point to an online petition warning that Menallen Elementary would be pushed beyond capacity if Franklin students are transferred there. The petition lists Menallen at roughly 101 percent capacity and argues that the change would strain instruction and support services. Parents quoted in recent coverage say the plan would add miles and minutes to many students' daily rides and increase class sizes, concerns that match earlier reporting. The petition, hosted on Change.org, has drawn several hundred verified signatures.
Previous consolidation still looms
Many residents are still focused on last year's contentious decision to close AJ McMullen Middle School, which they cite as an example of how consolidation choices can leave long-lasting marks on the community. That vote, covered by CBS Pittsburgh, came as the board cited declining enrollment and budget pressures, and parents say that experience is a big part of the mistrust they feel now.
Legal path is messy and uncertain
Organizers say that if the board signs off on closing Franklin, they will pursue options with both the Fayette County Court of Common Pleas and the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Disputes over school district lines and building reconfigurations often trigger filings and administrative reviews and have resulted in lengthy appeals in other Pennsylvania cases, according to notices and case listings in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. For now, both the district and opponents are bracing for public testimony at the March 23 hearing.
What comes next: families say they will gather before the hearing to formally hand over the petition, and activists intend to keep pressing the district for alternatives and clearer transition plans if the closure is approved. To date, the district's public materials are largely limited to the hearing notice and board packet posted on the Uniontown Area School District website, and parents say they plan to pack the auditorium on March 23 to lay out their case.
