Our nation’s economic downturn has hugely impacted small communities like Klamath Falls. Public education has taken a hard blow. From my perspective, the local school board has trimmed their budget in ways that compromise the overall well-being of the children they serve. Recently, the board made the decision to close the doors of Fairview Elementary School. Fairview School has been a vital part of the Friends Church neighborhood. The closure of this school tears the fabric of an already fragile community. This is a low-income neighborhood with many of the resulting social challenges. The decision to close Fairview only further marginalizes these children and reinforces the message that they really don’t matter in the grand scheme of things. Next year these children will be uprooted from their walking distance school and bused to other schools across town.
Klamath Falls Friends Church has a long and caring history with this school. We have offered financial support, volunteered in the classrooms, and had Fairview students participate in our summer garden camp. The principal of the school attends our Meeting and through the years has kept us informed us of their needs.
Pray for Fairview staff, parents, and children, as they process this sad news and move through a huge transition in the coming year. Pray for Klamath Falls Friends as we seek to shine the light of Christ in our neighborhood.
Contributed by Faith Marsalli, Klamath Falls
I am really sorry to hear this. When we were pastors In Klamath Falls, I was elected to be a representative from Fairview to the School Board. I valued the school there, which our children attended. May God give you wisdom on how to continue to help and encourage the children of the area.