El Paso Grassroots rallies community to speak at EPISD meeting

With recent word of school closures by the El Paso School Independent district
a local group is trying to organize area residents to speak out against the school shutdowns.

Many in the area have spoken out against the closures but the El Paso Grassroots organization is trying to rally everyone to stand together and make their voice heard.

“It’s a community-based issues group,” said Xavier Miranda.

Miranda is a teacher working for the El Paso Independent School District. He is also a writer and organizer for El Paso Grassroots.

The group raises awareness in what they believe are community injustices “whether it’s been for healthcare immigration or education,” said Miranda.

The idea of eight schools possibly being shut down by the EPISD isn’t sitting well with the group.

“We feel we need to advocate for our children,” said Miranda.

The organization wants to rally everyone from the community to attend a special meeting at EPISD headquarters Wednesday.

The meeting will discuss findings by a steering committee overlooking the consolidations and closures of the schools.

El Paso Grassroots want to put options on the table like redrawing district lines.

District spokesperson Melissa Martinez says that’s an idea already being considered by the district.

“Those are some of the recommendations within the report of redrawing boundary lines to balance out enrollment,” said Martinez.

El Paso Grassroots says board members need to visit and experience the communities affected.

“They don’t even come to our communities. Shadow us to see what we go throughout the day. See what our kids experience,” said Miranda.

Martinez tells ABC-7 once the steering committee reports their findings to the board visiting affected schools is a possibility.

“They could decide to go out and visit those campuses and they have talked about doing that,” said Miranda.

There’s many other points El Paso Grassroots wants to speak to the board about, such as transparency and if these shutdowns could affect historic buildings.

The meeting will be Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. at EPISD headquarters. It will be a public meeting but without public comment.