Saginaw school district votes to close 3 schools - ABC 12 – WJRT – Flint, MI

(03/20/13) - A tough night for the Saginaw school board and a tough night for students.

Wednesday evening, the board voted to close three schools: Jerome, Arthur Eddy and Longfellow.

This is a plan the superintendent recommended to the board to help with their $32.6 million deficit.

Students, parents and teachers filled the board room, a standing room only crowd, to protest these cuts.

They hugged one another and cried when the vote was taken, saying they're heartbroken to hear their schools will be shut down.

It passed on a 4-3 vote.

Some board members didn't think there was enough information to make this decision, but others said something needs to be done to fix the budget.

The district needs to submit a deficit elimination plan to the state by the end of April, so the superintendent said time is ticking.

Transitions will begin April 15.

The schools will be closed before the start of the next school year.