Court Denies Injunction; Seven SCUSD School Will Still Close

Seven of the eleven originally proposed Sacramento City Unified School District low-enrollment schools will still close for the 2013-14 year, despite a lawsuit trying to prevent it.

The SacBee reported the suit was filed mid-June, by a dozen minority students and their parents with complaints the schools designated for closure were chosen because they are in an area "without political influence or organization" - south Sacramento - and have disproportionately low-income and minority populations.

Complaints also included that the schools' selection "was motivated by an intent to discriminate against minority populations which dominate in these schools," the suit states. The closures, unless halted, will have a "disastrous discriminatory effect on the poor, disadvantaged population" that relies on the campuses, according to the SacBee.

District Superintendent Jonathan Raymond and Board President Jeff Cuneo called the action "an unsubstantiated and baseless lawsuit" that would be costly for the district. Read the full SacBee article here.

Federal district court Judge Kimberly Mueller’s ruled to deny a motion for a preliminary injunction on Monday. The SCUSD released this statement following the ruling:

“Closing schools is never easy, and the decision to close seven chronically under-enrolled schools was difficult for all involved. With Judge Mueller’s ruling today, SCUSD hopes to finally put closures in the past and move forward with our challenging work of providing the best education we can to the students we serve throughout the district.”

The SCUSD website lists information for parents about each school closure stating, “closing schools is difficult and presents challenges that must be met and overcome. But as with all of life’s challenges, there are also opportunities: By matching the number of schools we operate with the steadily declining number of students we serve, we can begin to concentrate our people, programs and partnerships to the benefit of staff and the community.”

Clayton B. Wire Elementary School Closure Information  

Collis P. Huntington Elementary School Closure Information

Fruit Ridge Elementary School Closure Information

Joseph Bonnheim Elementary School Closure Information

Maple Elementary School Closure Information

Mark Hopkins Elementary School Closure Information

Washington Elementary School Closure Information

James W. Marshall, Tahoe, Susan B. Anthony and Bret Harte Schools were spared from the chopping block during meetings earlier in the year.

SCUSD plans to host School Transition Information Clinics and “blending” events at new home schools to allow children to meet new friends, parents to meet teachers and staffs to coalesce.