Group sues schools over plan for Denny Middle, Sealth High

A group is suing Seattle Public Schools over the decision to co-locate the Denny Middle and Sealth High School campuses in West Seattle.

The lawsuit, filed last week in King County Superior Court, argues that the school district is, in effect, closing Denny Middle School by moving it. The plaintiffs argue that the district should have gone through the formal process for closing a school.

The School Board voted in February to move ahead with a plan to rebuild Denny Middle School on the same site as Sealth, which will also be upgraded. There will still be separate administrations at the two schools, although they'll share a health clinic, a lunchroom and a few other facilities.

The plaintiffs in the suit include neighbors of Denny and Sealth, International Operating Engineers Local 609, and a parent of children who attend Denny and Sealth.

A district spokesman said Seattle Public Schools would file a motion to dismiss the case, because the district believes it doesn't have merit.

Voters approved the Denny and Sealth project as part of a package of construction projects in February 2007. The district said it would be too expensive to redesign the buildings at two different sites.

Emily Heffter: 206-464-8246 or eheffter@seattletimes.com