Police called as Providence Schools meeting on closing school goes past capacity

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Dozens of community members, teachers, and students packed the Providence School District Headquarters past capacity to speak with school board members on the impending merger of 360 High School with Juanita Sanchez Educational Complex.

So many people attended the meeting that the police had to be called to bring some attendees to an overflow room.

Community members asked the board to do everything in its power to save what they describe as a second home for students.

“Families will be hurt, teachers will have to find new jobs, and students will lose their way,” one student said. “And more importantly, the culture that everyone knows 360 for will be diminished or even disappear altogether. This is not fair to the students or to the community as a whole.”

The merger is set to occur at the end of the year, leaving incoming and current high school students in flux, and staff wondering if they’ll have a job.

Staff with the school board say there isn’t much they can do, but they’ll try to help.

“Any school board member that wants to take on constructing or working with the district on a resolution calling on the halting of this process, I encourage you to do so,” Board Member Erlin Rogel said. “There are multiple tools in the toolbox that we can still use. Are they binding, will they have like a regulatory effect? No. But use all the tools in the toolbox. is what I tell my colleagues.”

Moving forward community members told me they’re not going to stop fighting for their school, but with only four months until the proposed merger, it’s an uphill battle.

“There are countless youth that are not in this space, unfortunately, and I rally behind them,” a community member said. “And for that reason, I wish you the best of luck. To the youth watching in the overflow space or beyond, I’m here for you. To the board, I thank you for absolutely nothing.”

Providence Public Schools said in a statement that 360 high school was chronically underperforming, leading to this decision.