Austin’s Mayor Weighs in
In a statement today, Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell said:
“I’ve been contacted by hundreds of parents and neighborhood leaders over the past few days expressing concern about the possibility of school closures in Austin. I know that AISD is facing some very difficult budget decisions, and I do not envy them the choices that I know must be made. The City of Austin plays no formal role in those decisions.
However, I feel obligated to share my personal view that as the City continues to work to reduce expensive suburban sprawl and facilitate sustainable growth in Austin’s urban core, the prospect of closing successful central city schools clearly runs counter to our community’s long-term planning goals.
We know that families with children will not move into Austin neighborhoods – or stay in Austin neighborhoods – where there are not good public schools. Losing good schools in the urban core would plainly make many of our goals as a city dramatically more difficult to realize.”
Aaron Barker
491 days ago
What a great statement from the mayor. I’m really proud of him for stepping up for central Austin neighborhood schools. If Austin is serious about urban density, excellent neighborhood schools are key.