Thursday, February 21, 2013

State Sen. Steinberg Supports SCUSD School Closures - Rosemont, CA Patch

State Sen. Steinberg Supports SCUSD School Closures - Rosemont, CA Patch:


State Sen. Steinberg Supports SCUSD School Closures

File photo: Sen. Steinberg Speaking at a “Fund our Future” education rally.As various groups voice their opposition to a plan to close 11 Sacramento City Unified School District schools–including one in Rosemont–one prominent state politician has come out backing it.
Senate President pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento)said in a statement Wednesday that he supported the plan,which would close James W. Marshall Elementary School and 10 others, and urged school board members to vote in favor of it.
"The alternatives to closing under-enrolled schools would be far worse," Steinberg said in the statement. "No one wants to see across-the-board classroom and program cuts. Superintendent Raymond is not making his recommendation lightly, and I have confidence he is doing so after thoroughly exploring the viability of any other options."
Shortly after, a Hmong group that has organized protests against the cuts responded. Hmong Innovating Politics, which organized a march on the district's headquarters this week, called Steinberg's opinion "puzzling" and "disappointing."
"Crafted in an absolute vacuum and with zero parent or community input, the Superintendent’s 'wrong-sizing'