Five Seattle Schools To Close Next Fall

The Seattle school board voted last night to approve Superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johnson's proposed list of closures, which means that a total of eight programs will be re-located or shut down completely. The following schools will close: Genesee Hill, T.T. Minor, Mann, Van Asselt, and John Hay the Old Hay building. In addition, the following programs and school entities will be discontinued: African American Academy, Meany Middle School, Cooper Elementary, T.T. Minor Elementary, and Summit K-12. Cooper Elementary's building will house Pathfinders K-8, displaced by Genesee Hill's closure. See the Seattle Public Schools press release for more detailed information about program relocation.

Goodloe-Johnson's list has very vocal critics, some who are calling the targeting of these specific schools unfair and others who maintain that closing schools won't save the district enough money to be worth the controversy. Unless there's a miracle, however, it looks now like the critics will have to find a way to live with the changes.

The meeting last night was rowdy, as was to be expected from all the controversy surrounding the closures. Security escorted local NAACP chapter president James Bible from the room, apparently because he was blocking an aisle. West Seattle Blog, among other reporters present, says the crowds heckled and booed the board throughout the evening. The Times has a moderately interesting gallery of photos from the vote, too.