The Rochester City School Board is weighing in on a controversy that sparked a lot of debate at the city council last week, saying they do not want to see two empty school buildings sold to charter schools.
In a statement, the Board of Education says selling the closed School 20 and School 29 would undercut efforts to stabilize the district and could drive more students, and funding, away from RCSD.
They say, "By providing infrastructure to the charter sector, the City is actively facilitating the further decline of RCSD enrollment."
It also says the district provides over $150 million to charter schools, money that is "pulled directly away from our ability to provide essential services."
The board is asking the city to find alternative uses for the properties instead