Parents Protest School Closure Plan

About 500 angry parents packed a high school gymnasium Thursday night to challenge an Ocean View School District proposal to close three elementary schools as a cost-cutting measure.

The district’s Master Planning Committee of Eleven, which has recommended closing Golden View, Haven View and Lake View schools, listened as parents gave impassioned speeches pleading for their children’s schools to remain open.

Parents argued that the committee should consider what programs are available at the schools and other factors, rather than focusing on low enrollment--the chief reason the committee has cited in recommending the closures.

“This looks to me to be a Band-Aid solution to a problem that probably requires surgery,” said Debbi Wise, mother of a Golden View first-grader.

The Committee of Eleven, elected from among a 40-member group of parents, administration officials, teachers and other district employees, recommended this week that the district close the schools to slice $750,000 from its budget deficit. The district, whose student enrollment stabilized this year after steadily dropping the previous 14 years, faces a shortfall of $1.3 million to $1.8 million, Supt. Monte McMurray said.

Golden View parents, wearing red armbands--the school’s colors are red and gold--appeared to make up the largest group of parents in attendance Thursday night.

Eileen Mori, a Golden View parent and committee member opposed to the plan, unveiled an alternative proposal to close only Haven View and Lake View and make budget cuts elsewhere in the district.

Other parents opposed the closure plan because it would change boundaries and force their children to switch schools next year.

The advisory committee targeted the three schools for closure because attendance is well below the average for Orange County K-6 schools. According to a March enrollment report, 340 students attend Haven View, Golden View has 350 students and Lake View has 395. The county average is 420, McMurray said.

The plan would also change Crest View, now a K-8 school, to a K-6 school to help accommodate students from the closed schools. It would also expand busing and alter the boundaries at Crest View, Mesa View, Spring View, Village View and Westmont schools.

The school board is scheduled to hold public hearings on June 4 and 6, tentatively planned to take place in the Ocean View High School gymnasium, and a study session on June 5 before deciding on the committee’s recommendation. Trustees plan to make their decision following the June 6 hearing.