A group of parents fighting the closing of schools in the Stillwater district is asking the courts to intervene.

"This is a quasi-judicial decision, which can be reviewed by appeals courts like any other court ruling," said Fritz Knaak, attorney for a group calling itself 834 Voice.

Despite vocal protests from hundreds of parents, school board members voted earlier this month to close three elementary schools as part of a comprehensive plan to shift students to the south to accommodate enrollment growth.

The parents say the decision was invalid and arbitrary, and accuse the district of improperly winning approval last year for a $97.5 million bond referendum by claiming the money would improve all the schools.

The writ before the Court of Appeals was filed this week, and Knaak said he expects to argue the case within two to three months. He said that state courts have overturned school closing decisions before, though "it doesn't happen a lot because quite honestly the closings themselves are usually done with more finesse than this."

In other legal action involving the Stillwater schools, a Washington County district judge recently ordered district officials to show why the schools shouldn't be kept open or a new election held on the issue. The district has 20 days to file an answer.

School district officials declined to comment.