SFUSD: Harvey Milk Elementary families, staff devastated by potential closure

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Tucked away near the heart of San Francisco's Castro neighborhood lies Harvey Milk Civil Rights Academy.

For almost 30 years, the elementary school has been a staple of a tight-knit community. But after the San Francisco Unified School District announced the school is facing closure, this academic year may be its last.

This is crushing news to parents like KeAna Elzie, who attended the school herself in the 90s and now also sends her third-grade daughter there.

"Just to have the same people and the same faces, it just feels really good. It feels like home, and it feels like family," Elzie said.

RELATED: SFUSD releases list of 13 schools that will potentially close as it faces $400M budget deficit

Elzie was one of several parents who told ABC7 News about their frustration and sadness over the school's possible closure Tuesday afternoon.

Sharnae Springfield says she worries her son Jimmy will have a difficult transition if he's forced to go to a new school next year.

"I think it's going to be a challenge for him to adapt, to go to a new environment, because he's used to staff, the school and his friends and stuff," said Springfield.

Parents, students and teachers say the closing of this school, in particular, hurts.

They tell ABC7 News the Harvey Milk Academy is more than just a school to them.

RELATED: Where did it go wrong? Here's how San Francisco Unified's issues led to school closures

It's a place that represents the values like justice, freedom and acceptance.

Those values are something that staff tries to teach their students every day, says teacher Elise Reynolds-McCarty.

She tells ABC7 News she can't believe the district would choose to close a school that has served as a symbol of hope for many.

"They're talking about equity, equity, but they're not considering the LGBTQ+ community in this equity conversation and it's blowing my mind. And I'm just devastated right now," she said.

Other staff members told us they feel like the district hasn't been open with them about the school closure process.

MORE: SF mayor's office steps in to help as school district faces $400M budget deficit, closures

Several of them say they don't know what they'll do if Harvey Milk shuts down.

"So much money on silly things in this district and now we are being closed," said Reynolds-McCarty.

By the end of the school day Tuesday, many students had seemingly heard the news.

One in particular took time to show us a poster she had made asking district leaders to keep her school open.

Harvey Milk teachers are planning a march Wednesday afternoon to protest the school's possible closure.