These Denver school board members lived through school closures. Now they’ll be voting on them.

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Denver school board members soon will be faced with the often gut-wrenching — and politically unpopular — decision of whether to close schools. It’s a decision that a majority of the seven members have faced before as teachers, parents, and students. 

But this time, they’re on the other side. 

as A committee has recommended Denver close elementary and middle schools with fewer than 215 students, as well as those with fewer than 275 students that expect to lose 8% to 10% more students in the next few years.

Marrero said he plans to make recommendations soon for which schools should be closed. The board is expected to vote on those recommendations next month.

But board members have expressed hesitation about closing schools. For some, that reluctance comes from their own experiences — which galvanized them to get more involved in district politics and eventually run for the board.

We spoke to four of the seven board members about their experiences and how that shaped how they think about school closure. Here’s what they said.

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