Two Cheyenne parents have filed a lawsuit challenging Wyoming’s plan to close eight elementary schools and consolidate students into larger, more distant schools.
Katherine Dijkstal and Franz Fuchs, each on behalf of their children, filed the lawsuit in Laramie County District Court against the Wyoming School Facilities Commission, the State Construction Department, and the state itself. The suit aims to reverse the decision to close the schools, which include Jessup, Deming, Hebard, Bain, Fairview, Lebhart, Miller, and Henderson elementary schools.
Dijkstal criticized the decision in a statement, claiming:
“Now families are forced to take this action to protect the rights of our students. It’s no wonder no one wants to take responsibility for this decision, which will irreparably harm students, families, and the Cheyenne community.”
The lawsuit argues that the commission’s decision to adopt the closure plan was “arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, and unsupported by substantial evidence.” The parents assert that the plan violates students’ constitutional right to an equal and quality education.
The contested plan stems from the commission’s approval of a “Most Cost-Effective Remedy” (MCER) study, which was intended to address building capacity and condition issues in the Laramie County School District (LCSD1). The selected option, known as “remedy four,” calls for the closure of eight elementary schools over the next decade, with changes set to begin in 2025.
The plaintiffs claim that the decision will negatively impact property values in the area, as families who purchased homes near schools like Jessup and Deming expected their children to attend local, walkable schools. Closing these schools, they argue, would harm the Cheyenne community’s character and reduce students’ access to neighborhood schools.
The lawsuit also points to procedural flaws, asserting that changes made to the MCER study in November occurred without adequate public review. The plaintiffs allege that these last-minute modifications inflated construction costs while failing to account for associated benefits, which allegedly skewed the decision toward the school closures.
Wyoming Attorney General Bridget Hill, whose office will defend the state, declined to comment, citing her policy of not discussing pending litigation.
The parents are seeking judicial review to have the closure plan declared illegal and reversed. They argue that the plan undermines the principles established by the Wyoming Supreme Court in the landmark 1995 Campbell v. State case, which defined the state’s obligation to provide all students with a quality education.
The MCER study was part of a legally mandated review of educational facilities that flagged several LCSD1 schools for capacity and condition issues. The School Facilities Division hired a third-party contractor, FEA, to conduct the study, which proposed 18 potential remedies. Ultimately, the commission selected remedy four, which calls for school closures, new construction, and the expansion of other facilities.
Many parents and community members voiced their opposition to the plan during public meetings, with some arguing that the process lacked transparency and did not adequately consider alternative solutions. A group called the Cheyenne Parent Alliance presented its own proposal, which it said would meet capacity needs without closing schools. However, that alternative was rejected by the commission.
With input from Wyoming News Now, Wyo File, and Cowboy State Daily.
