When the announcement that Hayward Unified School District (HUSD) management planned to address a budget shortfall by closing as many as eight schools, HUSD educators, staff, students, and families were shocked and quickly organized a mobilization effort to urge the HUSD Board of Education to pause the plan until more has been done to look into creative ways to improve schools, use new funding for pre-K/TK and community schools to boost enrollment, gather and consider community input, and make a concrete plan to mitigate the harm to students, programming (especially for special education), and the schools that would absorb the students from the schools slated for closure.

Hundreds march to HUSD office

Hundreds came out to the action last month and after the HUSD Board of Education heard a presentation from district management about their school closure plan, they voted unanimously to slow down their planned school closures after hearing hours of testimony from parents, staff, and students who spoke against the closures during the school board meeting following the action. While there was disappointment at the board’s decision to close two elementary schools next year, school closures in the following years were postponed to allow engagement of all stakeholders to explore other solutions.

From left to right: CTA Board member Angela Normand, Association of Educational Office and Technical Employees President Deisy Bates, CTA Vice President David Goldberg, Hayward Education Association President Mercedes Faraj, and CTA Secretary-Treasurer Leslie Littman

Strength in numbers truly played a factor in this victory, and it could not have happened without quick organizing and determination by members from the Hayward Education Association (HEA), Association of Educational Office and Technical Employees (AEOTE), and SEIU Local 1021.

Hayward community banding together

“We look forward to partnering with district management to find creative solutions to pause further school closures. The funding of universal pre-K and TK in the coming years present historic opportunities to increase enrollment, and new funding for community schools provide opportunities to bring additional services into schools to better meet the needs of our students and families. By focusing solely on the numbers and the short-term budget shortfall, HUSD management is abandoning these opportunities to meaningfully improve the experience of students and the quality of teaching and learning in our schools.”

—MERCEDES FARAJ, HEA PRESIDENT

Hayward students with HEA President Mercedes Faraj and other HEA members

“We came out in hundreds and pushed back. Taking such drastic action with four school closures would have been unconscionable after the past two years of what our students have already been through. Closing more schools means further disruption to children, families, and communities at a time when their lives, education, and routines have already been disrupted enough. Community engagement would minimize this disruption by airing and addressing concerns raised by staff, parents, and community leaders. School closures can impact communities for generations and should only be implemented as a last resort. Concerns about future changes in budget or enrollment should move the school board to work on initiatives to increase enrollment, rather than fueling a vicious circle where overcrowded classrooms, lack of options and programming, and fewer schools in communities leads to further declines in enrollment.”

—DEISY BATES, AEOTE PRESIDENT

AEOTE President Deisy Bates and other AEOTE members

“Our schools are a critical part of our communities. Abruptly closing several schools, on top of two years of upheaval, is extremely disruptive to students and the dedicated people who work with and for them under already stressful conditions every single day. The ‘bottom line’ in any plan should be the opportunities of our students to learn and grow in Hayward schools. We’re disappointed that two schools will still be closing at the end of this year, but we hope they will take the time and effort to involve all stakeholders and get this plan right before closing any others.”

—LANELL JOHNIGAN, SEIU LOCAL 1021 HUSD CHAPTER PRESIDENT

SEIU Local 1021 members

Educators, staff, and community groups plan to continue organizing together to stop further closures and improve Hayward schools, while holding district management accountable to their promise of collaboration with all stakeholders.