East Antioch students and parents rally against school’s pending closure

About 55 parents, students and community members rallied Tuesday night before a closed-door meeting with the district superintendent.

Six-year-old Max Martinez-Ramirez participates in a rally to support East Antioch Elementary Sept. 1. He's the seventh child in his family to attend the school. Photo credit Beth Lipoff.

The proposed closure of East Antioch Elementary School is making waves in the school’s attendance area. A group of parents, students and other concerned community members turned out Tuesday night to protest about it before a closed-door PTA council meeting with the district’s superintendent.

About 55 people turned out to participate in a rally, holding up signs along 71st Street in front of Shawnee Mission’s Center for Academic Achievement, just blocks from East Antioch itself. Many were kids who currently attend East Antioch.

For Pippa Coon, 9, being there to protest “makes me know we are a part of something, and we’re maybe going to save it.”

From left, Pippa Coon, 9, Jackson Cooper, 10, and Will Cardin, 9, show their support for East Antioch while protesting its proposed closure at a rally Sept. 1. Photo credit Beth Lipoff.

East Antioch alum Tricia McGhee was also there. She now sits on the school board for the Kansas City Public Schools but said she’s heard concerns from friends, including Shawnee Mission teachers and administrators.

“As someone that serves currently on a school board, I understand that declining enrollment is difficult, but school boards really need to consider which communities have been affected by closures in the past already or lack of resources,” McGhee said. “And what I’m hearing from the Shawnee Mission North community and their feeder schools is that they’re always last to receive district resources. And that’s been going on longer than this current board.”

She said she thinks that the Shawnee Mission district should do an assessment of previous feeder school closures to make sure one part of the district isn’t having a disproportionate number of closures.

We’ve reached out to the Shawnee Mission School District for comment and will update this story once we hear back.

From left, Jackson Cooper, 10, Will Cardin, 9, and Presley Carr, 9, participate in a Sept. 1 rally protesting their school's possible closure. — From left, Jackson Cooper, 10, Will Cardin, 9, and Presley Carr, 9, participate in a Sept. 1 rally protesting their school’s possible closure. Photo credit Beth Lipoff.

Several parents championed the sense of community they’ve found at East Antioch.

“It helps with academic achievement and helps the kids be more confident and have a better academic experience,” said Aude Negrete.

Lindsey Kalivoda has had a similar experience with her kids.

“We love the community this school creates. You can feel that from the moment you walk in the door,” she said. “It’s not just a building. It’s family.”

Check out more photos from the rally: