Paint a Bulls-Eye on This Tucson School

by David Safier

I hope I’m wrong. But I fear I’m not. Of the four schools slated for closure, the most likely to be shut is Ochoa Elementary.

When I read the Thursday op ed in The Star, Closing Ochoa would hurt families, I thought, I’ve been through this movie before.

Here’s the basic plot. Because of budget woes, a number of schools are slated for closure. Parents complain at packed school board meetings. The District says, we’ll study this further. Behind the scenes, influential (read high income) community members talk with important members of the District, assuring them there will be repercussions if schools in their areas are closed. After more “study,” a new, shortened list of school closures is presented, which includes only the schools with predominantly low income students, though the reasons given for the choices have nothing to do with the family’s income. The District reluctantly closes those schools.

The Star op ed is written by an Ochoa teacher. I’m willing to bet her job isn’t in jeopardy. She’s just advocating for her students and their families. Teachers are funny that way. They tend to be passionate about what they do, and protective of their students.

Her editorial has one kiss-of-death statistic: “94 percent of Ochoa families qualify for free and reduced lunch.” That means, these families do not have rich and powerful advocates working for them. If the school is closed, maybe community activists will raise a fuss, but it won’t be long lived. Activists are easier to deal with than the rich and powerful.

If I’m right – and I hope I’m not – I’m guessing these are the two most likely reasons you’ll hear for closing Ochoa Elementary.

First, it’s the only school of the four listed as Underperforming. “Why, if we move these children to higher performing schools, watch their test scores skyrocket! We’re doing it for the kids!”

Second, the school is in need of costly repairs (or its library is inadequate, or its computer lab doesn’t have enough connections, or . . . [fill in the blank]), and it would cost more to maintain than the other schools.

Maybe this won’t happen. Maybe TUSD doesn’t work that way. I don’t know. I’m reasonably new here. But I’ve seen it happen before: Too often, when money talks, poor students take a walk.