Meanwhile, the board encountered tremendous public pressure from groups wanting to preserve neighborhood schools, those fighting to keep their own schools open, and those wanting to close some schools to save money.

The teachers union decried as financially inappropriate the board's Nov. 8 vote to keep all schools open. Three weeks later, board voted to turn Granite High into a nontraditional school — details are expected in a 5 p.m. Tuesday study session — and close Meadow Moor and Canyon Rim elementaries, a move it estimated would save $1.4 million.

But Cannon wonders if such savings could be realized.

She wants to explore costs of busing students from closed schools to new schools. Canyon Rim students, for instance, would pass a couple of elementary schools before getting to Morningside Elementary, where they're to go next school year.

"The whole thing does not make a lot of sense," said Canyon Rim School Community Council chairman David Garrett. "We want a second chance to be heard so (the board) can reevaluate what they have done. . . . We will strive . . . to keep that school open with its lights on. To the extent we are unsuccessful, we will push hard for a better solution."

And, should nothing change, Garrett said, the community might further discuss creating a charter school.

Dan Lofgren of the Friends for Education Coalition — the group pushing to maintain neighborhood schools — hopes the board will reconsider the vote to close the two elementaries.

But the proposal to reconsider frustrates Phil Conder, who helped lobby to close some schools.

"In fairness to teachers, principals and students, they need to put this behind them. They need to make a decision and stick with it," Conder said. "They need to put this to bed."

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E-mail: jtcook@desnews.com