JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Two Jacksonville elementary schools that have been part of the community for decades could soon become one.

The Duval County Schools superintendent is recommending the consolidation of Long Branch Elementary into Richard L. Brown Gifted and Talented Academy due to under enrollment, a move facing growing pushback.

Tuesday night, parents, neighbors and community activists packed the R.L. Brown cafeteria to weigh in.

Many argue that merging the two violates prior commitments and further disrupts predominantly black communities that have already seen wave after wave of school changes.

“Now we are at another stage in this community where we’re talking about closures. We got to stop this,” said Isaiah Rumlin, president of the Jacksonville NAACP. This message was directed at Duval County school leaders.

Just last year, RV Daniels Elementary consolidated into R.L. Brown.

“We want to let the superintendent know that this hasn’t gone unnoticed. We want them to know the parents want to keep the schools open,” said Jacksonville City Councilmember Ju’Coby Pittman.

During its press conference, the civil rights organization brought attention to what they call a pattern of school closures and consolidations taking place in District 4 and 5, to schools named after black historical figures from Jacksonville and in predominantly black neighborhoods.

“You cannot expect a community to exist when you have taken the institutions out of that community,” said Rodney Hurst, NAACP VP and local activist. 

These same sentiments trickled into R.L. Brown Elementary during a community meeting, as parents and community members, like April Hall-Lloyd, voiced their concerns.

“I don’t feel, think I have to have a child in a Long Branch or R.L. Brown to advocate for these schools,” said Hall-Lloyd.

Despite having no direct connection to either school. Hall-Lloyd joined others who stressed the importance of keeping R.L. Brown a magnet school and allowing Long Branch to remain a walkable, historic neighborhood school that’s been here for more than a century.

“These schools have educated some of the most successful people. Why get rid of them? Why consolidate them?” she said.

District staff also reviewed a months-long process, including multiple meetings with a working group that unanimously voted against the consolidation.

“You go against the very thing they recommended, so what was that for? Please do not waste our time or insult our intelligence,” said Hall-Lloyd. 

With Long Branch enrolling 265 students and R.L. Brown having 282, community members said both student bodies combined wouldn’t reach 700, the number needed to fully stabilize the school.

If the schools do consolidate, they would keep the magnet program at R.L. Brown and rename the school ‘Long Branch Academy at R.L. Brown.

The superintendent’s recommendation will go before the school board for discussion and a vote on Dec. 1.