Fight to Keep MLK Jr. School Open: Do Not Warehouse MLK Kids in a Basement to Balance the Budget!

On June 1, 2016 residents and community leaders, organized by the Center for Leadership and Justice (CLJ), then called the Christian Activities Council, held a press conference outside of Martin Luther King, Jr. school demanding that the city not close the school. CLJ began organizing MLK parents and staff in early 2016, at their request, when the MLK school community became frustrated with a lack of communication regarding the plans for renovation and the location of the swing space.

MLK has been slated for renovations many times and each time the renovations get close, the funds were diverted elsewhere leaving many years of no investment at MLK. In 2016 it looked as though renovations were really going to happen.

The plan that was shared with the families and MLK staff was that they would house all 350 students in a basement of a school across the street. The space was completely inadequate for 350 students.

While families were considering and researching alternatives, it became known that the City of Hartford had reallocated the funding for MLK School and renovations were not going to happen, but the kids were still being forced out of the school. The reason is that the City wanted to close the school.

The organizing campaign then transitioned from trying to find adequate space for the kids to keeping the kids in the building until renovations and/or a long-term plan was responsibly put into place.

Under significant scrutiny and pressure from organized parents and residents, the district announced on June 14, 2016 that the school would remain open.

In September of 2020, the school reopened as a state-of-the-art middle school after an $111 million renovation.

Quotes from various press releases:
According to Cori Mackey, Executive Director of Christian Activities Council, “school closure policies have not been followed. When a school is set to be closed, there are policies that require two public hearings, a comprehensive building report, and a vote by the board of education. These policies have not been followed and we demand the respect of that kind of transparency.”

Furthermore, Mayor Bronin tells us this is the board of education’s issue and that it is outside of his role to step in and demand an equitable solution.

Natalie Langlaise, SGC President and MLK Parent says, “I am a single mom trying to raise my son. That has enough difficulties, but to be thrown into a system with no long term plan, leaders who seem to make decisions without thoroughly thinking through the implications, and a complete lack of communication is unsettling and adding unnecessary anxiety to my job as a parent and to my child who is stressed under these conditions. We deserve more and demand to stay at MLK until there is a long term, equitable plan for our children.”

Rev. AJ Johnson, an organizer with the Christian Activities Council says, “Today, we call on Mayor Bronin, City Council, and the Board of Education to stop the relocation process for MLK students until a long term plan is in place that is in the best interests of our students, following their own policies and protocols and school closings.”