Former teacher speaks out against Seattle school closures

Mom, former teacher speaks out against Seattle school closures

Former Bellevue teacher Lauren Jensen witnessed firsthand the impacts of school closures on students, staff, and the community. Now, she fears the same fate for Seattle’s students and families.

SEATTLE - Seattle Public Schools (SPS) is facing a potential wave of school closures, as the district seeks to address a $104 million budget shortfall. Among the 21 schools on the chopping block is North Beach Elementary, where concerned parent Lauren Jensen has a personal connection. As a former teacher in the Bellevue School District, Jensen witnessed firsthand the impacts of school closures on students, staff, and the community. Now, she fears the same fate for Seattle’s students and families.

"It was traumatic in that I had just gone through this in Bellevue," Jensen shared.

Jensen was a teacher at Wilburton Elementary, a school that closed just a year before, forcing her to transfer.

"It was so hard on the school community, it was so hard for the teachers, students, staff," Jensen recalled. "We learned through that that it didn't help the budget cuts that devastated a community and students, and it didn't really need to happen."

Jensen’s experience has left her deeply skeptical of the proposed SPS closures, which are being considered under two options — both of which would see schools like Graham Hill shut down. She points to Bellevue’s own miscalculated budget predictions, which led to unnecessary closures.

"The budget predictions were off. The enrollment went up the next year," she said, noting that Bellevue eventually reversed course on closing middle schools after realizing it wouldn’t solve the budget crisis. "I just don't want that to happen here in Seattle. There’s a statewide budgeting issue that we need to be looking at, and it needs to be solved top-down, not bottom-up."

For Jensen, the stakes are high, as her six-year-old daughter is currently a first grader at North Beach, and she wants her four-year-old daughter to have the same positive kindergarten experience her older daughter had.

Beyond the immediate disruption of moving students, Jensen warns that the closures could have long-term effects on the quality of education in Seattle.

"When you're having to consolidate classrooms and then schools to save a budget, you are inherently consolidating the staff that could support students in a way that at least serves them," she said.

Jensen also fears for the ripple effect on schools that will be absorbing the displaced students, such as Viewlands Elementary.

"Not only is it impacting all of these students and families and staff who are going to have to move and redistribute, it also impacts the families, staff, and communities who are taking in these students," she said. "I think it does impact kids the most, which is what we have to think about."

As a former teacher, Jensen is also concerned about the toll the closures will take on staff morale.

"The morale is pretty low across the country with teachers," Jensen said. "To say to teachers, we're going to pull your school, move you… it’s the least motivating thing that can happen as an educator."

Jensen’s frustration with the district’s handling of the situation is palpable.

"For me, it's losing faith in public schools, which breaks my heart because I have loved Seattle Public Schools up until this point," she said. "We are really happy at our school. I love this staff. I just fear that if we have to move, and we are targeted to move to a huge school building, that is not in the best interest of the kids."

The SPS board has yet to hold a public meeting to discuss the closures, leaving many parents feeling blindsided by the email announcement of the proposed cuts. In response, grassroots groups like *All Together for Seattle Schools* are mobilizing, with a rally planned for Wednesday outside the district headquarters, urging the board to reconsider the decision.

For Jensen, the stakes are personal and profound.

"We already have students who are facing issues of housing, food, divorce… what does it do to those kids who are most at risk to then take away a whole school community where maybe that’s the only stable thing they have in their life right now?"

With enrollment trends not as dire as initially predicted and past lessons from Bellevue fresh in her mind, Jensen hopes Seattle Public Schools can avoid making the same costly mistake.

"I feel like it's ironic, because in school, we learn history repeats itself, and that's what's been happening."

The district is expected to address the community next Tuesday, September 24. Until then, families like Jensen's will continue fighting for the future of their children’s education.