HELENA — Two Helena parents have filed suit against Helena Public Schools, claiming the district didn’t follow proper procedures when deciding to close Hawthorne Elementary School.
The lawsuit was filed in Lewis and Clark County District Court. In a complaint, the plaintiffs’ attorney argued the decision to close the school was already made – well before the school board officially voted on it last month. They claim the district deprived the public of their right to know and participate under the Montana Constitution.
“The District’s failure to honor open meeting and public participation laws has resulted in an established course of action regarding the boundaries, structure, and organization of the elementary schools within the District in which parents, students, employees, citizens, and taxpayers did not have an opportunity to observe or participate,” the complaint said.
District leaders have cited budget reasons for closing the school, saying it would save close to $1 million a year and open the building up to be leased. The plaintiffs argued the district hadn’t provided enough information to justify that the closure was in the best interest of students.
The lawsuit doesn’t specifically ask the court to stop Hawthorne’s closure. It does ask the judge to rule the district has violated the public’s right to observe and participate in meetings, to order them to release more documentation on what led up to the board’s final decision, and to appoint a standing master for five years to ensure the district is complying with open meetings laws.
