The Salt Lake City Board of Education did not violate its policy on school closure when board members voted to close Lowell and Rosslyn Heights elementary schools in June 2001, a judge ruled Monday.
The decision came some 2 1/2 weeks after 3rd District Judge Sandra Peuler heard closing arguments in the case. The trial for the lawsuit, which was filed by parents and families in the two school communities, included testimony of the former superintendent and all seven board members who made the controversial decision to close the two east-side schools.
The schools were closed in June, but the buildings will temporarily be used to house students from other schools that are being rebuilt.
"We're obviously pleased with this thing," said district spokesman Jason Olsen. "Now we can just move forward with the plans we already had in place."
Peuler said in her ruling it was clear a majority of the board considered factors required by its policy on school closure, known as policy FLA, when they made the decision.
Peuler also wrote they "considered other factors important to the community, as well, including choice, mobility of programs, fiscal responsibility, and student enrollment."
The plaintiffs were seeking to undo the board's decision to close Lowell and Rosslyn. The plaintiff's attorneys argued during the trial that school board members were unaware of the policy's existence and made their decision without considering elements of the policy.
The 30-year-old policy includes factors such as keeping students near their schools, keeping students safe, minimizing distance and transportation, placing students in functional buildings, closing older schools rather than newer schools and replacing old schools with strategically placed new schools.
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