HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Angry parents and kids attended the Hillsborough County school board meeting Thursday afternoon.
This comes as board members are considering moving forward with boundary changes that would impact tens of thousands of kids.
Specifically, up to 24,000 students could be impacted with the possibility of 12 schools closing their doors for repurposing. The changes will likely be in place next school year, but students begged school board members to keep things the way they are Thursday night.
"I am here again, again, begging you to not move me away from my school," a Grady Elementary School student, Liam Smith, said.
With new boundary proposals there are two other schools Smith could be switched to.
"I invested my entire childhood into my school system and the people in it and it would be disastrous to take it from me and other students," Smith added.
There are four choices. Three would target the district’s goal and one would do nothing. The ultimate goal for the district is to save over $12 million. Some believe that’s costing the children's education.
District leaders believe change is necessary. They say 24 percent of schools are overcrowded and 44 percent don’t have enough students.
"Some schools are very overpopulated then schools 2 miles in the distance are under," School Board Chair Nadia Combs explained.
Some worry that the zoning for schools could cause their property value to tank. An A-rated school could be rezoned into a different area.
On Monday there’s a workshop to discuss the superintendent’s recommendation, but there will be no public comment.
People will have the chance to speak again at five community meetings beginning Feb. 20. The board plans to have a proposal by the end of this month.