SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) – A South Bay school named after a 9/11 hero is facing a possible closure. This comes as its school district tries to cope with a 40% decline in enrollment over the last 15 years.
While it’s unclear how many or which schools will be affected, parents and teachers say they’re worried for their kids’ future.
Nestled under San Jose Mineta International Airport’s flight path is an American hero cemented into history.
Captain Jason M. Dahl Elementary is named after the pilot of Flight 93, which was taken over by hijackers and set to crash into the Capitol. But crew and passengers took over and saved countless lives, crashing into a field in Pennsylvania.
Dahl’s legacy has been living on in his hometown as the namesake of this school, which is now one of several schools that could be closed. Franklin McKinley School District says it is faced with severely declining enrollment.
Richard Brookes teaches at the district and says the decline in enrollment has been going on for years.
“I know parents are worried about their schools because they’re basically community centers,” he said.
And while his school, Bridges Academy, is not on the chopping block, he attended Dahl Elementary as a child.
“It’s sad to see something I thought would be forever in the community possibly go away forever,” he said.
The district told KRON4 in a statement:
“At this time, no decisions have been made regarding which school sites will be impacted. If Captain Jason M. Dahl Elementary is selected for closure, we remain deeply committed to honoring and celebrating the legacy of Captain Dahl.”
And for Brookes, he hopes whatever closures do happen aren’t too hard on the community.
“Knowing about it makes it a little tougher for the kids because they wonder about the future a little bit,” he said. “They already have so much to deal with.”
The district said there are at least five schools in the district that could face closures, and the school board will vote on a final resolution at an upcoming meeting on Feb. 11.
SAN JOSE, Calif. (KRON) – A South Bay school named after a 9/11 hero is facing a possible closure. This comes as its school district tries to cope with a 40% decline in enrollment over the last 15 years. While it’s unclear how many or which schools will be affected, parents and teachers say they’re […]
Leave a Reply