The threat of Crestmoor and El Crystal elementary school has been stopped, thanks to the heartfelt actions of parents and supporters on the 25th, where they managed to get the San Bruno Park School Board to vote against them the recommendation of Superintendent David Hutt.

Yet despite the victory, a valid question is raised, “Why?” Why did the superintendent recommend these school closures? According to a report by the superintendent it would save money by declining enrollment.

You know the funny thing about it? There is little reason for the school to be closed in the first place. The only meaningful reason is the money problems, yet the fact that the superintendent proposed this closure raises other issues surrounding cuts to education spending that are hurting schools all over California, just like Crestmoor and El Crystal elementary school.

Now, you may think that this does not concern you as a student in college but take a moment to consider this single word, ‘school’. Yes that word means college too and these cuts are the reason that our fees are rising, it’s the reason that we can’t pay at the end of the term, and it’s the reason that you’re not getting into your four-year college of choose because their a billion other students doing the same with their own hopes and dreams too. We students need to stick together and stand up for every facet of education.

Also consider for a moment, everything that has been done by Skyline College and the rest of the district in their attempts to duel with the financial mass that is part of your life now. For example, they was measure O last year which would have raised $40 million that would have solved this problems not only for the Crestmoor and El Crystal but also would have made our life here at Skyline (financially at least) easier.

Now back to the local scale, it should be noted that the superintend was kind enough to note, in his report, that the saving from closing these two schools would have about saved an estimated amount between $200,000 to $250,000 annually, could have easily been matched by cutting three teachers or cutting 150 computers or cutting 11,000 hours of instructional aide time.

The decision by the board to listen to parents and vote against the closure of both elementary schools now leaves parents pushing to place a $100 parcel tax on the November ballot to raise revenues so please when the issues come up later this year, please take your time and vote for it.