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East County News Service
January 15, 2015 (San Diego) – San Diego Unified School District’s Board has voted to sell the former Cleveland Elementary School campus site in San Carlos where student Brenda Spencer shot and killed the principal and custodian back in 1979, also injuring eight more including a police officer in America’s first school shooting. At the time she reportedly stated she committed the shootings because "I just did it for the fun of it. I don't like Mondays," according to the San Diego Police Museum account of Spencer and her crimes Spencer later said she committed the crimes because she wanted to die, the Daily Beast reported years later. She remains in prison and won’t be eligible for a parole hearing until 2019.
The school on Lake Atlin Avenue closed years ago, but has more recently been occupied by the Magnolia Science Academy Charter School, serving middle school students.
In addition, the San Diego Unified trustees voted 4 to 1 to sell the former Benchley Elementary school site on Princess View Drive in the Navajo community. That property is currently leased to Excelsior Academy.
The sale is prompted by the district’s desire to close its budget gap short-term until Proposition 30 tax increases kick in, ECM news partner 10 News reports.
Trustee Michael McQuary voted against the sales, stating that he believed the district should look for other avenues before selling off school properties. But trustee John Lee Evans has said the alternatives would have required dismantling many programs.
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