[caption id="attachment_34148" align="alignleft" width="300"] Cairo-Durham School District public hearing about possible closing of Durham Elementary School.[/caption]

More than 50 parents, mostly in favor of keeping Durham Elementary School open, turned out to a public hearing for the Cairo-Durham School District June 5, 2014 on the fate of the school. (Click here and here and here to hear three parents upset about the issue.) In May, Cairo-Durham voters approved a budget based on a plan to close the school, though no official decision on the issue has been made. During the current school year, the school split up students from Durham Elementary and Cairo Elementary, with all K-2 students attending the Durham building, and third- through fifth-graders attending the Cairo building. This plan was designed to save money, but proved costly. School officials say they cannot afford two elementary schools, but many parents, many with fond memories of going to school at Durham Elementary, spoke at the hearing in favor of keeping that building open. Cairo-Durham Superintendent Mary Fassett said she had an informal discussion with state Sen. Cecilia Tkaczyk about the possible empty school, that led to a regional veteran's group touring the building for a possible relocation. (Click here to hear an excerpt from Fassett's announcement.) But that did not sway many parents, who want their school to remain open, no matter the cost. Listen to the full recording of the public hearing here. PLAY AUDIO (2:38:17)