Parents, alumni rally ahead of Preston High School hearing
Bronx Catholic school closure hearing underway
State Attorney General Letitia James is holding a hearing to look into how the decision to close Preston High School was actually reached. FOX 5’s Linda Schmidt talked to supporters outside before the meeting got started.
Parents and alumni of Preston High School in the Bronx are rallying ahead of a hearing to discuss what led to the decision to shut down the school.
School closure announced
The backstory:
The school announced it would be permanently closing in June.
Preston High School is owned by the Sisters of the Divine Compassion, which maintained that the school was not financially sound and enrollment had declined.
Offers to buy the school were rejected
Members of the community who say the school is essential, especially for people of color, claimed multiple offers have been made to the Sisters to buy the school, but the offers were rejected.
What they're saying:
"People of color come to Preston to feel safe because Preston opened the doors to anyone, even immigrants. They empower women and these women become somebody and that’s what we need," one parent told FOX 5 New York.
Tuesday hearing
What's next:
A hearing being held by Attorney General Letitia James will take place on Tuesday and last until 8 p.m.
The Source: Information for this article was taken from a live report by FOX 5 New York’s Linda Schmidt.