Preston Protestors Demand School to Stay Open

Students, parents and community members hold a rally outside of Preston High School on, February 27. -Photo by Citizen App

By David Greene 

Bronx Voice 

March 5, 2025

BRONX - Several hundred students, parents and community members turned out to protest outside of Preston High School, after the all-girls school announced it will be closing at the end of the current academic year.

The protest was held outside of the school, located at 2780 Schurz in the Throgs Neck section of the Bronx on February 27. According to the school’s website the school was established in 1947 by the Sisters of the Divine Compassion, on the side that had once been the home of railroad magnate Collis P. Huntington.

The website also states that the private Catholic school is rooted, “in the virtues of dignity, honor, respect and compassion.”

In a letter to staff and students and posted to the Preston High School website, dated February 28, stated, “Our hearts have been heavy with the difficult but necessary decision to close Preston High School. We (the sisters) have read the impassioned emails sent by students, families, faculty and staff, and alumni.”

The letter concluded, “While we hoped to answer each email individually, we cannot do that on a timely basis. We have created a video which we hope shares our perspective of the factors which led us to this inevitable decision.”

During the 23-minute video posted to YouTube and the school's website, Sister Laura Donovan was asked why the property had been sold, she replied, “In 2019, we were aware that we wouldn’t be able to govern four ministries. And so, we felt that they need to go independent of us and that they would need a process in order to do that, so that they could carry on the mission.”

Sister Carol Peterson added, “We needed to sell the properties because we are aging. We do need to take care of our sisters, but we can no longer be landlords so when we own the properties, we’re in charge of them and we can no longer continue to do that.”

As the video of the protest aired live on Citizens App, community members voiced their opinions. “KingOfREEEE” wrote, “The enrollment is full, and the school is not in financial straits. Stop the lies and educate yourself. They were sold to the highest bidder by greedy nuns who took an oath of poverty and to serve God and his children.”

Citizens App user “Deevee” claimed, “There was a deal in place to keep the school open, but the nuns sold them out because they wanted more money to the tune of $15 million.”

While “Yaydude” offered, “For what? More waterfront condos?” Yaydude added, “Preston is not only a school but tutoring, after school, summer camp and counseling to local elementary schools. So sad.”