Houston Independent School District (HISD) made their final decision to repurpose Jones High School and close down Dodson Elementary despite constant opposition from the community the serve.

The School Board voted 6-3 to keep Jones High School open and voted 5-4 to close Dodson Elementary. Jones will remain open but will have a similar fate as Ryan Middle School in Third Ward did, it will be repurposed as an academy for career placement. Majority of the students who may not fit the qualifications to go to the new academy will be sent to Worthing and Sterling High Schools.

“I wonder what Terry Grier would do or say if his child won’t be able to graduate from the school they love,” said Shanna Paul, a parent of a junior at Jones.

Travis McGee is a vocal parent who voiced his opposition at an earlier press conference and stood against the closure of Dodson as his children had already been shifted once before to Dodson from another school closure. Dodson students will now be zoned to Blackshear or Lantrip Elementary.

The decision was not met with silence as a recess had to be called as parents became emotional and the firing of Superintendent Terry Grier was chanted aloud.

“School closure discussions are never easy,” said Grier. “However, we must continue to have constructive conversations on the issue of school size and school efficiency. Not to do so could be harmful to our communities and the students that reside in them. The goal remains creating better, stronger schools.”

Community activist such as Charles X. White are calling for a federal inquiry about an alleged civil rights violation in HISD against the Black and Hispanic communities. The issue of where is the bond money is still looming in the air as Jones was promised a new school in the 2012 bond proposal that was passed.

The other three schools, Henderson Elementary, Port Houston Elementary and Fleming Middle School, were taken off the consideration list after their communities held town hall meetings in objection.