SF Board of Education Halts Decision on School ClosingsJacob Schneiderbyline‚ Jan. 13‚ 2006Bowing to overwhelming public pressure, the San Francisco Board of Education voted last night to put off a controversial decision on school closures as city leaders scramble to avoid displacing thousands of students next year. At issue was a proposal to close five schools and merge or relocate nearly two dozen others to balance the San Francisco Unified School District budget. The schools were selected because of low enrollment or proximity to other schools. Last year, San Francisco schools lost around 1,000 students, a loss of $5 million in funding. Thursday evening’s special meeting at Everett Middle School was to be the last venue for schools to state their case before the board made a final decision in time for new parents to begin selecting schools in next year’s lottery. |