By Hadas Kuznits

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — The School Reform Commission is in the process of holding 10 consecutive school closing hearings at the School District’s Education Center on North Broad Street.

The School Reform Commission heard testimony from students, teachers, parents and other advocates of the schools on the chopping block as to why each school should remain open.

“They’ll have to walk four more blocks through a violent neighborhood, a crime-infested neighborhood, a drug-infested neighborhood, to go to the next school, and we just feel that they’re better off where they are,” was one of the laments.

Pedro Ramos, Chairman of the School Reform Commission, says it’s important to hear from the public.

“We get a more direct perspective on what’s actually happening in the schools. I think you often get a sense of what direction a school’s in that may not be picked up by data.”

The SRC will determine the fate of the schools at their regularly scheduled public voting meeting on March 29, a difficult decision when you consider the emotions involved.

“We want our school to stay open, and we don’t want anybody to close it.”

And what if it does close?

“It’s going to break our hearts.”