Marginalia #3: From the Frontlines of a School Closure Protest: Unexpected Lessons and Activism in Public Education

Kaitlin shares her recent experience of a fast and deep dive into community activism to protect her children’s public elementary school, Sutro Elementary, from potential closure. Only weeks ago, Sutro was among 13 schools in the San Francisco Unified School District identified for possible closure due to budget constraints. Kaitlin helped lead a community-wide campaign to keep Sutro open, which culminated in a 600-person protest, a town hall with the district superintendent, and ultimately, a halt to the closure process.

This experience led Kaitlin to reflect on the essential role of Public schools as community pillars that provide stability and belonging, especially for low-income, immigrant populations like the students and families at Sutro Elementary—and broader, nationwide implications of school closures.

A few Resources Mentioned:

• Wanting What’s Best by Sarah Jaffe: A book exploring public vs. private education in the United States
• The Problem of Private Schools Current Affairs article by Sparky Abraham (2020):
• What We Lose When a Neighborhood School Goes Away (WGBH News, 2015): Discusses the impact of school closures and cites work by sociologist Eve Ewing on school closures in Chicago.

We invite you to share your own experiences with local activism and to consider how public education affects their communities. Connect with us on Instagram @postpartumproductionpodcast, and visit our Website and Substack, linked below.

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