Join the Battle to Stop Corporate Shutdown of Memphis Schools

Action News 5 - Memphis, Tennessee

MEMPHIS, TN -

(WMC-TV) – Parents and students from Westhaven Elementary have been fighting for their school for months. Saturday they took to the streets to get signatures to try to keep their school open.

They are asking the community to get behind their efforts and it's not every day you see this kind of support inside a mall.

TN House Representative Karen Camper said, "It had been tremendous because most people know and understand how important it is to have neighborhood schools. And most people believe in neighborhood schools."

Parents, students and Rep. Camper were inside Southland Mall gathering signatures to keep Westhaven Elementary school open.

Westhaven is one of 13 schools slated for closure and student Jade Jordan was asking everyone to support her school.

Jade said, "I have a great teacher and I love my teacher and I'm a straight A student and I work hard."

She isn't alone in her efforts; more than 6000 people have signed the petition asking school leaders to keep the school open.

Katina Broadway has a special needs student who attends Westhaven and says the community school is vital to her daughters success.

"She's able to get all of her necessary therapies there and it provides a consistent nature, its loving atmosphere. There are other children with special needs there, so that is really important," Broadway said.

Important to these families and important to this community Rep. Camper says.

"This last push is just what we need," she said.

The board meets Tuesday to discuss the closure of these 13 schools.

Elementary schools: Alcy, Graves, Gordon, Klondike, Riverview, Shannon, Westhaven

Middle schools: Cypress, Corry, Lanier, Riverview, Vance

High school: Northside