Parents and teachers protest proposed Kerr Elementary closure in Tulsa

Community members gathered Wednesday in Tulsa to protest a plan to shut down Kerr Elementary. The proposal would eliminate multiple campuses to reduce district spending.

Kerr is one of 17 schools slated to close under the Tulsa Public Schools proposal. The district plan aims to cut $12 million from the budget.

Demonstrators said the move would harm students through increased class sizes. They argued the shutdown sets children up for failure.

Robin Whittaker, a teacher’s assistant at Kerr Elementary, spoke about student progress at the site.

“The success that we made with us being on the failing list and it being expected of us to be off it in three years and instead we were off of it in one, I think that success that we created with our children especially would diminish. I think that also these relationships we have made with these kids who are going to go to a new school, it’s going to be difficult for them.”

Tulsa Public Schools is holding community meetings to discuss the proposal.

Melvin Terry is a grandparent of students at Kerr. He opposed closing the school.

“I want this school to remain here. They’re already not learning anything in the other schools now because too many kids, not enough teachers, not enough bus drivers, but now you want to put more on it. How [are] the kids supposed to get there? That’s my thing. We need to leave this school alone and the other schools and take care of whatever the problem is. It’s not out here in the community. It’s with the people in the office.”

The next public meeting is set for Oct. 6 at Brookside Library at 5:30 p.m.

School boards hold public sessions to gather community input on district proposals. Elected members review budget plans before casting final decisions on campus operations in Tulsa.

The board plans to vote on the closure measure on Oct. 19.