The San Francisco Unified School District’s announcement to close 11 schools has left the community in shock, including the June Jordan School for Equity, where Reina Tello’s 16-year-old son is a student. “It’s just heartbreaking,” Tello shared. “When my son heard the news, he said he was ‘devastated,’ and I saw him crying. Even the teachers were in tears.”
Tello explained that she received texts and calls from colleagues early on October 9, urging her to check the news. Upon learning that her son’s school was on the closure list, she felt a wave of despair wash over her. “I was really hoping for a discussion with the district before the list was announced. They had mentioned it wouldn’t be released until mid-November, and I wanted them to understand that closing schools isn’t a solution to the budget crisis.”
The June Jordan School is just a five-minute drive and a 15-minute walk from Tello’s home, making it convenient for her son to prepare for the day, assist teachers, and participate in extracurricular activities, sometimes returning home as late as 7 PM. “We felt safe knowing he could come and go easily. But now, if he has to switch schools, the commute could stretch to 45 minutes. You’re uprooting kids from a familiar setting to somewhere that feels completely different, with a different culture—they won’t know how to cope or adapt. Plus, walking alone in an unfamiliar area is concerning.”
A key worry for Tello is the personalized education that June Jordan offers. “It’s a smaller school that tailors education plans for students. I’m hoping the new school can provide the same level of quality.”
She expressed frustration with the district’s lack of support and solutions following the closure announcement. “I heard they’re holding two meetings this Friday, but with parents often needing to request time off two weeks in advance just to attend one day, it’s unrealistic to expect people to drop everything for a 30-minute or hour-long meeting. There simply isn’t enough time to address everyone’s concerns.”
Tello believes that the district’s central administration, which is the largest in the district, should be finding ways to cut costs and streamline operations without sacrificing student benefits. “There are other ways to address budget issues without closing schools—like reducing staffing or cutting executives’ salaries.”
She is urging the district to develop comprehensive financial plans to address the budget shortfall. “They’ve already stated that closing schools won’t significantly affect the budget gap. So why proceed with these closures?”
Tello hopes the district will provide clarity on their decisions and address pressing questions from students and parents. For example, how will they ensure students arrive on time, and what measures are in place to prevent students who now face longer commutes from being penalized for tardiness, due to circumstances beyond their control? She emphasizes that this is a significant transition requiring considerable adjustments, and she wants to see a clear plan in place to tackle all the students’ concerns.
