OCEANSIDE, Calif. — The Oceanside Unified School District on Monday voted three to one to close Reynolds Elementary School over safety concerns.
Reynolds Elementary was recently being evaluated for a modernization project, according to Oceanside Unified. Six months of testing showed the soil conditions do not allow for any construction and also puts the current buildings at risk in case of an earthquake.
Dozens of families attended the special meeting Monday night with signs in hope to convince the Oceanside Unified School District from closing the Douglas Drive campus.
Now, parents are upset and left wondering what comes next.
“They aren’t being transparent the real reasons of why they are closing this school,” parent Nick Thomas said.
Another parent, Acucena Correa, is concerned on where she is going to take her kids.
Thomas thinks the soil report is a “convenient reason” after he claims they tried to close the school two years ago.
“This is just another mismanagement of funds, mismanagement of the budget from the school board and the superintendent going rogue,” Thomas said.
The Oceanside Unified School District told FOX 5 in a statement in part.
“The campus does not meet current code standards that have changed since the school was built in 1986. There is no fix that guarantees the safety of students and staff.”
After a few hours of public comment, the school board voted to close the campus, generating mixed emotions, especially from students.
“What does this mean for you and him? “We don’t know. As you heard in that meeting they have no clear path for any of the students. They have zero path forward,” parent John Vannetre said.