Parents in a South Bay school district are growing frustrated over discussions of campus closures and other issues as their children head back to classes.
The Alum Rock Union School District in San Jose is home to 21 schools, but that number could shrink by nine before the 2025-26 school year because of declining enrollment.
The district had 10,000 students enrolled before the pandemic. It's currently at about 7,600. A few weeks ago, parents gathered outside district headquarters to vent their frustrations about the possible school closures, the absence of a permanent superintendent and a lawsuit by 11 students claiming the district conspired to hide sexual assaults by a music teacher who is now in prison.
Some fear that lawsuit could bankrupt the district, and on top of all of that, parents say the board has not communicated well with them.
"It doesn’t feel like there’s the collaboration we’d like to see, and we’re here to give them another chance to be here and have that conversation," one parent named Chrystine said.
Board member Minh Pham understands the frustration.
"I want to reassure the parents that as a member of the board, I’m committed to meeting with parents wherever they are," Pham said.
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The board president was removed in May, just months after the district superintendent was fired. The board has said it plans to announce the new superintendent at its regular meeting on Sept. 12.
Meanwhile, some parents are floating the idea of student walkouts or a recall of board members if the turmoil doesn’t end.
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