Saturday Rally Planned In Support Of Aurora Schools In Danger Of Closing

AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) - A community group is planning a rally at a part in Aurora this weekend to support a number of Aurora schools slated for closure.

The rally is planned for Cottonwood Park this Saturday at noon. Organizers are hoping to get support for several Aurora schools at risk for closure by the district in the next school year.

The Board of Education voted to keep Paris and Sable Elementary Schools open next year, but the Aurora Education Association claims Sable Elementary School was added back on the closure list without community, parental, or educator input.

"The Aurora Public Schools Board of Education previously voted in March to keep Sable and Paris open to our communities and we will make sure they remember and honor that commitment," said Linnea Reed-Ellis, elementary school teacher and president of the Aurora Education Association. "We also want to ensure that going forward, the district and board authentically include community voice and the voices of those affected."

A spokesperson for Aurora Public Schools noted to CBS4 that the board voted against Superintendent Rico Munn's recommendation to close the schools, instead favoring more time to study possible options to save the schools through subsidization or consolidation. More discussion, and even a possible final vote, could come as early as May 17th at the next Aurora Public Schools board meeting. The spokesperson said that the schools are significantly under-enrolled, and the entire district is being looked at on a region-by-region basis on ways to best serve the regions with use taxpayer money.