Coppell ISD parents question why Pinkerton Elementary could close
COPPELL, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – Parents with children at one Coppell ISD elementary school have gathered to voice their concerns. They say if a new bond package passes next May, Pinkerton Elementary could close.
Thursday night, they attended a community input meeting hosted by community stakeholders in an effort to learn more.
The parents came wearing their "Protect Pinkerton" t-shirts. Ted Emrich says from what parents have gathered, Coppell ISD is considering repurposing or possibly closing their beloved elementary school.
"It might not be explicit but looking at their latest slide deck from the bond committee meeting on November 1st, we can all read between the lines," he said.
Parents say closing would be harmful to their kids who already suffered learning loss during the pandemic and are just now getting back in the swing of things.
"I have a lot of questions," parent Kristin Song said. "I want to know how we got here and what's happening. I feel like info hasn't been free flowing."
While Pinkerton wasn't addressed directly, parents were able to rank priorities for the bond.
"I think it's a good start but it really doesn't answer any of our questions," parent Julie Waters said. "They're basically having us review information that we already have without providing enough detail."
In a statement to CBS 11, Coppell ISD said, in part:
"These parents are making assumptions that are simply not true. CISD is currently in a preliminary bond planning process with a Bond Committee, which serves in an advisory role to assist the district and the Board of Trustees to assess and prioritize district needs. CISD is being very transparent about this process and giving our community several opportunities for feedback, including surveys and a community dialogue session tonight, to rank program and facility priorities for a possible bond. . .
What is taking place right now is community feedback opportunities on facility and program priorities. All this information is available on the CISD website at www.coppellisd.com/bond. We have encouraged parents with concerns to participate in the community dialogue and survey opportunities to prioritize the district's facility and program needs. They also will have an opportunity to participate in another survey to rank these priorities."
Next Monday there is a school board meeting. There's no item regarding the bond on the agenda, but parents say they plan to attend and speak during public.