Kenosha Unified School Board votes to approve recommendations on school closures

 

Updated on Dec. 13, 2023 at 5:17 a.m.

KENOSHA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The Kenosha Unified School Board voted just before midnight to approve the administration's recommendations on school closures.

KENOSHA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Frustrated families have filled an auditorium in Kenosha Tuesday night as the Kenosha Unified School Board could be closing multiple schools. 

The future of five elementary schools, a middle school and a high school are on the line. 

Those seven schools have been identified as having low enrollment in a time when the district's facing a $15 million deficit. Passionate pleas from parents followed opening remarks from the superintendent who said this isn't an easy decision. 

Before the vote was taken, a community came together asking for prayer, and acknowledging the decision before the Kenosha Unified School Board was a tough one to make but hoping it would go their way. 

"And I think that the communities that are the most vulnerable, the most marginalized already in Kenosha, are the ones that are going to be suffering the most from the school closures," said parent Katherine Andrysiak-Montemurro. 

These months have been anxious ones as families were fighting to keep their neighborhood schools open, especially Lincoln Middle School where a number of students walk to school. 

"I feel that we owe it to our children and to our families to look at every scenario possible that doesn't include closing any of the schools," said Tanya McLean, parent and grandparent. 

Even in the eleventh hour, they gathered outside Tuesday night's board meeting, waving "Save Our Schools" signs as cars honked in support.

"Busing students away from their neighborhood will affect attendance. Our kid walk. If they miss a bus, how are they going to get to school across town 45 minutes?" said Colleen Hansen, Lincoln Middle School teacher. 

The superintendent, Dr. Jeffrey Weiss, said that discussing school closings is painful for families and staff, however it was necessary for the financial health of the district.

"And I get there is a time and a place that we have to look at the money, but there's got to be other ways that we can cut it, and we have to prioritize students, especially at-risk students, low-income students, students of color, we have to prioritize them," said Amanda Bergemann, Reuther High School teacher.