SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WSBT) -- Several groups within South Bend are speaking out ahead of a vote that could turn Coquillard Elementary School into a career hub for St. Joseph County.
The JAX Aspire Foundation, the NAACP, Black Lives Matter South Bend, and members of the community held a press conference on their concerns Monday afternoon.
The South Bend Community School Corporation says Coquillard has had a low population in recent years, which is why they're considering repurposing the elementary school.
District officials say the west side location would bring more opportunities to students across the county as they look to Coquillard as the site of their career hub.
"Black children continue to be discriminated against in South Bend schools due to the district's complete failure to abide by the court ordered consent decree to desegregate in a variety of ways in the school district," said JAX Aspire Foundation Executive Director Tiana Batiste-Waddell, "There are unforeseen impacts when you close a school in a community, with the largest being the enabling of intergenerational poverty."
South Bend officials emphasize that the goal of the proposed career hub is to ensure equitable access to high-quality opportunities for all students, encouraging the community to remain engaged on the conversation about it.
"Ultimately, the administration has made a recommendation, but the final decision rests with the School Board of Trustees. We look forward to continuing this collaboration and creating a one-of-a-kind Career Hub that uplifts our students, families, and community," wrote Andrew Goetz, the South Bend School Corporation Communications Director.
Speakers during Monday's press conference also claimed there was a stark difference in approach for changes at Coquillard and Dickinson compared to Kennedy or LaSalle. They expressed concern over insufficient community input before submitting a proposal.
"Black empowerment -- in terms of South Bend Community School Corporation's history of making impulsive decisions that negatively impact school children: Mismanagement, incompetence and most egregiously lack of community involvement," said Black Lives Matter South Bend Co-Founder Dr. Dé Bryant. "This is an emerging issue. This has a long history. It has been approached over and over again."
Bryant said she is most concerned about why Coquillard was chosen for this transformation without consulting with D.O.J., emphasizing it as an ongoing issue with historical context.
The proposal goes to the South Bend School Board for a vote Wednesday.