Parents upset school made Plano ISD closure list
PLANO – Parents of students at Davis Elementary are upset their school made the list of potential closures in Plano ISD.
"I'm just upset," one mother said. "Heartbroken, completely heartbroken."
A board committee has recommended the closure of four schools as the district deals with low enrollment and funding issues.
During a meeting Tuesday, district leaders discussed the possibility of the school closures.
Schools being considered for closing are Foreman and Armstrong elementaries in East Plano, along with Carpenter Middle School and Davis Elementary in Central Plano.
"I can't even fathom why they would do this," Katrina Christensen told CBS News Texas.
Christensen said she moved her family from California to North Texas so her two deaf sons could attend the Regional Day School for the Deaf at Davis Elementary, a program that caters to 150 students in Plano and 14 other school districts.
"[They] felt excited and loved and felt normal for the first time. The community here can't be replicated," Christensen said. "I don't understand why this school would be on the list. It's so unique and so important."
District officials say Davis is an old school and that it will cost too much to repair. If the district closes Davis Elementary, the deaf program will move down the street to Harrington Elementary.
"To have them kind of slap us in the face with this is really disappointing," Erica Salcido said.
Salcido, whose daughter Avery is a third grader at Davis, said she's concerned with the possible transition and the district's transparency.
"If the deaf students are pulled out of this community and culture, it could be potentially detrimental to their emotional and social skills, to their academics," Salcido said.
Parents from Davis say they plan to fight the board to keep Davis' doors open.
"We can't let this go. We're not going to let this go," Christensen said.
The Plano ISD board is scheduled to vote on the proposal next month.
