Teesen High community demands transparency; board members, senators pledge school will remain open

Teesen High School students, staff and community members packed a town hall on Oct. 28 to demand clarity after a September ad hoc committee video raised the possibility of closing or redistricting the school. Senator Vince Borja, chairperson of the Committee on Education, Libraries and Public Broadcasting, opened the meeting and invited public testimony. Board representatives and several senators repeatedly pledged they would not support closing Teesen.

The meeting focused on an ad hoc committee video shown early in the public comment period that attendees said discussed closure and redistricting without Teesen representation. Kayla Santos, speaking for the Associated Body of Students at Teesen, said the board’s private discussions betrayed public assurances and accused some board members of treating closure as a "solution" to…