Locals host rally to protest Loyal Heights Elementary expansion

Loyal Heights Elementary parents and students, along with members of the community, will host a rally to protest the expansion of the school.

The rally will be held this Friday, June 10, at the school (2511 NW 80th St) from 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

Many locals have expressed their anger about the planned expansion (see planned area of enrollment expansion on the map below) for the past few months and have now banded together to make a stand.

Rally organizers released the following statement yesterday:

Almost 100% of the community opposes the extent of the planned expansion of this neighborhood school. Many are extremely frustrated by Seattle School District heavy handedness and stone-walling against the community’s input, so we expect a good turnout at the rally.

The Seattle School District is wasting taxpayer dollars by replacing Loyal Heights Elementary with an unnecessarily mega-sized school that will:

• Cause a construction budget overrun of 50%, to $44M – for an elementary school!
• Create a building for over 825 students, when 2016-17 enrollment is 411 (shrinking).
• Create a mega school on the smallest lot in the area.
• Continue the District’s unauthorized move away from the neighborhood schools.

The Seattle School District has “listened” to community objections over the last two years, but has simply not responded in any real way to the concerns raised.

We are rallying to pressure the School Board to finally lead the District in this matter, and keep them from “running over” our community, other communities in the past, and in the future.

Rally organizers are reminding parents that students must be accompanied at the rally and that it will take place on the sidewalk, not on school property.

Find out more about the rally on the event’s Facebook page.