Parents, students and teachers urged the Hawaiian Gardens City Council on May 22 to press ABC School District to keep Ferguson Elementary and two other neighborhood schools — Aloha and Juarez — from a proposed round of closures.

The speakers, who addressed the council during the public-comment period, said closing neighborhood schools would harm a largely walk-to-school community and disproportionately affect low-income and Spanish-speaking families. "It's very generalized what they've proposed," parent Anthony Rico said, adding that "roughly 94–95% of students are Hispanic and about 96% qualify for free or reduced-price lunch," and that the district's materials lacked a detailed equity or social‑and‑emotional impact analysis.

Why this matters: speakers said the schools provide neighborhood access, bilingual and dual‑immersion programs and community supports including after‑school nourishment and informal supervision. Several current and former students and teachers told personal stories on how Ferguson staff identified learning or vision needs and helped children succeed.

Janet Ortiz, a Hawaiian Gardens resident and parent, said Ferguson is "the heart of Hawaiian Gardens" and asked the council, "How can you help us? What can the city do to help maintain Ferguson open?" Former students Natalie Jimenez and Tiffany Jimenez described how Ferguson staff helped them catch up academically after identifying vision and speech needs. Third‑grade teacher Mrs. Delgado, who said she has taught at Ferguson for about 31 years, told the council the school is a family and urged officials to "stand behind Ferguson."

Students also spoke: fifth‑grader Frank Alfaro said many children walk from home to Ferguson and that closing it would make students "arrive late and tired." Resident Jesus Mendoza, whose house is across from Ferguson, told the council the school is a convenience and a family hub and urged the city to help ensure the district hears community concerns.

Council response and next steps: Mayor DePaulo and council members thanked speakers and noted the council's limited authority over district decisions. "It's not in our hands," the mayor said, adding that the city can help organize and continue advocacy. A council member urged residents to contact Representative Francisco Niola, who represents the district‑at‑large seat on the ABC school board, saying, "He really needs to know how you feel." The council said staff would consider forums and continuing to work with parents and the district but did not adopt any formal action during the meeting.

The council adjourned the session at 8:17 p.m.; members said they would continue to coordinate with families and explore ways to support community advocacy at upcoming meetings.