JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Angry parents turned out in droves on Wednesday at the place where they bring their children to learn -- a place the city announced will soon be closed.

The preschool center at the Don Brewer Early Learning Center is the home away from home for about 100 Jacksonville children, but its days are numbered.

Last week, the city announced it doesn't have the nearly $900,000 needed to help keep the Eastside center open. However, that explanation did not go over well with parents in the area.

On Wednesday afternoon, a room at the center was filled with parents who wanted to let city leaders know they are not happy about the center being shut down.

They said they're upset that the city is pulling funding and forcing them to send their children somewhere else.

"These children have to have somewhere to go while parents work. Don't put it on us cause you all did wrong. Get it straight," said one upset mother.

She was just one parent in a crowd of dozens who vented their frustrations about a city decision to close the preschool.

"$850,0000 -- comparatively speaking is a drop in the bucket to what the city is (expletive) away on other programs," said another parent.

Wednesday's meeting was the first opportunity many parents had to confront city officials about their decision.

"So something even larger that is going on here in this city if we are going to be responsible, politicians, parents, educators, we must take responsibility to shrink the gap that exists between our children and other children in this community," said another meeting attendee.

City officials said one of the problems with keeping the preschool center open is that the money that subsidizes the center works out to a cost of $9,000 per child, and there are about 100 kids currently attending the school. Officials said they would like to take that money and spread it out throughout the entire city.

"I really think it is a pretty simple calculation. It wouldn't feel simple to any of these parents, but if you have $900,000 of taxpayer money, would you spend it all in one place, as we have been doing, or would you use it at multiple places around the community to bring the standard up at multiple facilities?" said mayor's office spokeswoman Suzie Wiles.

"They say they're sending money everywhere else. C'mon, we pay all of these taxes. What's going on?" said parent Jacky Johnson.

After a proposal made by one of the parents, officials said they would consider keeping the center open at least through September to give parents time to find another center to send their children.