Parents, Students Make Plea To Keep OKC School Open

Dozens of impassioned people spoke Monday afternoon in a packed auditorium during a public forum at Andrew Johnson Elementary.  

Andrew Johnson Elementary is one of five Oklahoma City elementary schools on the chopping block. Oklahoma City Public Schools said consolidating schools will save the district $1.2 million.  

Seth Puffinbarger was born with Downs Syndrome, and is one of 28 special needs students who attend Johnson.  

His mother Niki said Johnson has helped her son overcome a a lot.

“I mean, he’s learned to read and write and do simple math, and he’s really thrived here,” she said.  

Other speakers expressed concerns that the school that current Johnson students will be sent to will not be fully handicap accessible.