School districts across California are being pushed to make painful decisions as they struggle to balance their budgets. That includes San Jose’s Franklin-McKinley Elementary School District, which is considering possible school closures. One of the schools on the chopping block is named after Capt. Jason Dahl, the pilot on Flight 93 that crashed into a field in Pennsylvania on Sept. 11, 2001. Parents plan to hold a rally at Captain Jason M. Dahl Elementary School on Friday. They said they understand the need to close some schools, but they argue Dahl Elementary is not the one. Dahl attended the school when he was a boy – a place many say he first discovered his love of flying. Dahl was piloting United Flight 93 on 9/11 when terrorists overtook it and aimed it toward the U.S. Capitol. Ultimately the crew and passengers fought back, forcing the plane to crash into a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Hillsdale Elementary later became Captain Jason M. Dahl Elementary in the pilot’s honor. Now it’s one of five schools on a list of potential closures in the district. “This is the only school that’s been named after a hero, especially someone who passed away on such a historic day,” parent and staff person Crystal Urbano said. “To have to close the school would just break our hearts.” For parent Charmaine Polack, it’s even more personal because of her two foster children. Dahl Elementary is what’s known as a trauma skilled school. “The boys have emotional trauma prior to me taking care of them, and they have come a long way within the last year,” she said. With the district losing 40% of its student body since 2011, cuts are necessary, but in a statement, the district said no final decision has been made. Read the district’s full statement below: “School districts throughout California are facing structural budget deficits driven by declining enrollment, lower birth rates and people moving away due to the high-cost of living. Alongside many school districts in the Bay Area, we have been working on a school consolidation process to ensure a long-term sustainable budget for our school district, which maximizes our limited resources to better support our students and families. In the coming weeks, the FMSD Board of Trustees will determine which school sites will be closing, after reviewing the recommendations from its School Consolidation Advisory Committee based on criteria developed by the California Department of Education. This is a process that weighs heavily on our community and we empathize with everyone who may be affected. At this time, no decisions have been made regarding which school sites will be impacted. If Captain Jason M. Dahl Elementary is selected for closure, we remain deeply committed to honoring and celebrating the legacy of Captain Dahl, a hero who will always hold a special place in our community.”