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Board rejects motion to reverse Steele Lane closure after emotional public comment
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Summary
A motion to reverse the board’s decision to close Steele Lane Elementary tied 3–3 after extensive public comment and trustee debate over capacity, equity and projected savings. Trustees warned reversing closures could undermine the district’s fiscal plan.
A heavily attended Santa Rosa City Schools board meeting on March 11 featured more than an hour of public comment urging trustees not to close Steele Lane Elementary, but a motion to reverse the earlier closure decision failed on a 3–3 vote.
Dozens of students, teachers and parents described Steele Lane as a community anchor and urged the board to pause or rescind the closure plan. Students said closure would disrupt families and friendships; teachers and former staff emphasized long relationships and programs they said would be lost.
"Steele Lane is a gem," teacher Kristen Ott told the board. "Closing it now removes valuable long‑term options for this district." Another teacher, Micah Karlin Goldberg, questioned whether prior closures actually delivered the savings promised and said the district lost 500 families after earlier consolidations.
Trustee Jose Medina (moving the motion) said new information and capacity concerns — including how closures burden families in certain census tracts — justified reconsidering the board’s February decision. Trustee De La Torre seconded the motion, citing capacity impacts and fairness concerns.
Board President Casten and other trustees argued that the consolidation plan was developed after months of study and that reversing course now would jeopardize the district’s multi‑year fiscal stabilization plan and the board’s ability to certify a balanced budget. Casten said the closure decisions were informed by safety and environmental reviews, capacity work, and broader district needs.
Roll‑call vote and outcome: Student board members were recorded as voting Aye; Trustee Medina and Trustee De La Torre voted Aye. Trustees Jenkins and Kirby, and President Casten voted No; Trustee Prack voted Yes earlier in the meeting. The motion failed on a 3–3 split (the meeting recorded student members also voting Aye and the tally given as 3–3), leaving the closure decision in place.
Why it matters: The debate highlighted the tension between community-level impacts of school closures and large, district‑level fiscal constraints. Trustees warned that undoing a consolidation package could require reworking the district’s budget reductions and might imperil the fiscal certification process.
What’s next: Trustees said the facilities master plan and consolidation effects will remain under review; staff noted the timeline and legal constraints around certificated notices and budget certification.
Representative quote: "Before we change this decision, I'd like to know how we're going to make up the savings we need," Chief Business Officer said during deliberations, urging any reversal be paired with identified, equivalent savings elsewhere.
