As plans move forward to close the Dr. Bessie Rhodes School of Global Studies in Skokie, parents and students pleaded with the Evanston/Skokie School District 65 board to reconsider shutting down the building on Monday night.
At a spirited standing-room-only meeting, parents and supporters of 40-plus seventh- and eighth-grade students begged the board to reconsider its plan to close the school and move students elsewhere.
"On October 16th, we got an email out of the blue saying my eighth grader [would be] moved to our local school effective November 15th," explained parent Stephanie Roache.
Citing a staffing shortage, the board noted that none of its four options are ideal but intended for best educational needs of students.
"Why are you making these decisions in such horrible, horrible ways? This is an embarrassment to all of us," said Frances Aparicio, a former educator.
Dr. Angel Turner, Evanston/Skokie School District 65 superintendent, publicly apologized for the way the district approached the potential transition.
"I'm deeply sorry for the pain and disruption that it has caused," she said. "This was not our intention, but the unintended outcome of moving too fast."
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Parents told NBC Chicago that while the apology was appreciated, families are asking the board to make it right.
"The erratic and unheard of solution to the problem was to kick my child out of his school, separate him from his friends, teammates, teachers, and everything he holds dear in the middle of a critical and informative year," said parent Kate Tyler.
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Some parents, students and alumni agree the situation could have been handled in a better way.
"The school board picked the most inopportune time to cut everybody off and kick everyone out," said Emmanuel Roache, a Bessie Rhodes graduate.
