Abstract
This conceptual essay examines the neoliberal policy forces driving widespread public school closures in urban communities across the United States. Drawing on scholarship in education policy, urban sociology, and community studies, the author argues that the closure of traditional public schools — accelerated by charter school expansion and accountability-driven federal policies such as No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top — has had devastating consequences for low-income communities of color. The essay explores how school closures erode neighborhood cohesion, dismantle civic anchors, and disproportionately burden students and families with the fewest school choice options. The author advocates for community-centered school policy that honors the social functions of schooling alongside academic achievement, challenges market-driven educational reform, and centers the voices of those most affected by closure decisions.
Recommended Citation
Ali, Sunni
(2026)
"My Schoolhouse Remains a Ghost Town: When the School Closes, the Block Dies,"
Journal of Research Initiatives: Vol. 9:
Iss.
2, Article 1.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.uncfsu.edu/jri/vol9/iss2/1
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