Yuma area school districts announce more closures

Three Yuma-area school districts announced more closures Tuesday.

Yuma Union High School District said it would close all its campuses Thursday and Friday due to the shortage of teachers, many of whom will be participating in a statewide teacher walkout. Gadsden School District extended its closure of all schools to include Friday.

In the Crane School District, Ronald Reagan Elementary School will close Thursday and Friday, the district said in a recorded call to parents. Students of Ronald Reagan may eat breakfast and lunch at the H.L. Suverkrup campus, which is less than a mile away, but parents will need to provide transportation.

Gadsden is also providing meals to students at its campuses. Breakfast will be from 8 a.m. to 9 and lunch from 11 a.m. to noon.

Several Crane parents expressed frustration that the district is not closing schools completely.

“I’m disappointed in Crane’s decision not to close in support of the teachers,” said Holly Sullivan Jordan, who has three children in the district. “A number of parents I have talked to have decided to keep their children home in support of the teachers and their future.”

Amber Thornton, who has had one or more children enrolled in Crane School District since 2008, said, “As a parent I am disappointed that Crane School District has chosen to only close one of the schools in the district. The #RedforED movement should be something that unifies all teachers in Arizona to demand the funding our children deserve.”

However, Crane Superintendent Laurie Doering said “We FULLY support additional school funding but have been reluctant to verbally state we support #RedForEd since they are advocating the (walkout) which is an unlawful activity. We don’t want to be seen encouraging people to do things unlawful.”

Doering said that the decision to walkout was left to staff to decide whether they would participate.

“They had the option as long as they let us know yesterday by 5 o’clock,” Doering said. “Some chose to walk, many others chose to remain in school. Each of their options is supported.”

As far as whether teachers will be punished for walking out, Somerton Superintendent Laura Noel said that no punitive measures have been proposed in her district.

“Our Board publicly approved a statement of support for the content of the Red4Ed movement, but have not made any comment to support the actions that are being taken. We are following our policies exactly and with neutrality,” she wrote in an email to the Sun.

School liaisons representing the Red4Ed movement have communicated with Somerton District so that the district can protect student safety and take actions like school closure so as not to endanger students, Noel said.

The district is surveying its teachers and staff daily to evaluate whether they have the number needed to operate the school safely the following day.

“We will be reopening schools individually as we can assure the numbers needed for safe function,” she said. “If the people participating continue to cooperate by giving us the information we need to protect child safety, then we have no need to seek punitive action.”

Doering said that Crane will not seek punitive action against teachers who gave advanced notice of their participation in the walkout, despite State Schools chief Diane Douglas saying on the news that teachers could have their licenses revoked.

“Never has a word been said about certificates. It’s just a big rumor mill,” Doering said. “There’s a lot of fear, there’s a lot of anger. There’s so much misinformation out there. There’s so much.”

Doering did say that if teachers don’t leave substitute plans then the district would have consequences “like we would any other time; (or) if you call in sick that morning and then you’re on the picket line, you lied to us, you know?”

Jordan and Thorton said all the districts should make a united front to the Legislature.

“We need everyone on board to fight for better funding for public education in Arizona,” Jordan said. “Being in nearly last is unacceptable, and the past 10 years have shown funding isn’t going to come without a fight.”

“As a parent I have stood next to the teachers, wearing red and holding signs. I know that our teachers only want what is best for our children. Imagine the impact that our community could make if ALL the districts came together. I feel Gov. Ducey would have no choice but to listen.”