SAN ANTONIO — The San Antonio Independent School District Board room was packed Monday — many protesting the district's idea of bringing in a charter school from New York to save Stewart Elementary.

The southeast side school has failed to meet state standards for five years.

A sixth violation would mean it could be shut down by the state or the board be replaced by a state appointed manager.

"This is an intervention," said SAISD Superintendent Pedro Martinez. 

Martinez says the idea of hiring Democracy Prep is a last ditch effort to save it. By law, the district would get two more years to try to improve scores if it partners with a charter or nonprofit.

Democracy would be expected to follow district procedures and policies. And while the plan guarantees teachers a spot somewhere in the district, they'd have to be hired by the charter school to stay at Stewart and will not have union contracts.

"That was the non-negotiable they had. They said we're willing to comply with everything else. We're under this pressure to turn this around, so we need complete control of the staff," said Martinez.

Ahead of Monday's meeting the San Antonio Alliance of Teachers expressed outrage — claiming the district is selling out students.

"They could restructured the school as far as grade levels. They could have send some of the K students to Carrol Early childhood that's five minutes away from there. They had their options. Really, this is just a way to get charter companies into public schools," said teacher David Garza.

"I know they're going to close the bilingual classes, the program. And I feel sad because I have a lot of friends go to that school. I have a lot of friends that don't speak the language," said parent Elizabeth Gonzalez. 　

At least one parent, whose children already attend a local charter school, came to the meeting to urge parents to give it all a chance.

"I would say give it a chance. That's what we did. There's always other schools. If you don't like Stewart with Democracy, you can can to another school. A magnet school another charter. There's always options," said Adanari Galindo.

Find a solution, supporters say, or watch the school close.

"The purpose of this is ironically to keep it as a neighborhood school... We're not going to apologize for advocating for these children. Because somebody has to," said Martinez.

All Stewart Elementary students will be allowed to stay at the school. Those parents who choose for their children to go to another SAISD elementary school will have access to bus service for their kids.