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Students and parents press board to keep Campbell STEM open; community leaders urge equity in rightsizing
Summary
A student and parent urged trustees to keep Campbell STEM open, describing its importance for girls in STEM; a MAC co-chair urged the board to consider equity and barriers to committee participation when evaluating right‑sizing and closures.
Public comment at the Anchorage School District meeting focused on school closures and equity. A student from Campbell STEM described her science fair project and appealed to trustees to keep the school open because it supports girls interested in STEM. Her parent, Rob McDonald, noted the district faces a multi-year budget shortfall and said closure decisions risk eroding student motivation and opportunity.
Isa (student) said Campbell STEM "has so much for girls like me that love science and math. It's a super great school. Please keep Campbell STEM open." The student’s testimony included details about a first-place science project and personal reflections on the value of the school’s environment.
Cindy Menddees Espino, community co-chair of the Multicultural Education Concerns Advisory Committee (MAC), told the board that families who are most affected by 'rightsizing' decisions are often underrepresented at public meetings because of barriers like transportation and language access. She urged the district to design ad hoc committees and engagement strategies that explicitly address accessibility and equity so less-visible families are not sidelined in closure deliberations.
Why it matters: Testimony highlights community concern that closures and rightsizing may disproportionately affect underrepresented families and that the board should ensure engagement processes are accessible and representative.
What’s next: The president announced creation of an ad hoc committee on school consolidation; members and community leaders said committee composition and supports should be designed to include historically underrepresented voices.
