Community Voices: "Over and over, we have asked for a real strategy, one that doesn’t ask which schools to close, but FIRST asks how to keep every school open."

Lakewood resident Dan Kirk shared the following comments at Lakewood School Board's meeting on September 15, at Lincoln Elementary.

Over and over, we have asked for a real strategy, one that doesn’t ask which schools to close, but FIRST asks how to keep every school open. That’s what voters and taxpayers originally intended.

A key part of that strategy must include marketing our schools and community, in partnership with the City, residents, and foundations, to grow the number of families living here. But don’t just take my word for it, let’s take the district’s own.

Back in 2023, during the original Facilities Study Task Force, declining enrollment was discussed. At the very first meeting, a representative from the Mayor’s office suggested: “We should work together with the school district to look at opportunities to grow the enrollment.”

The district Treasurer responded: “That would need to be part of our strategic plan.”

That was two and a half years ago. Has anything besides proposing a closure been attempted since then? Again this year, community members recommended marketing instead of closing. The school board president agreed, saying: “Your recommendations about marketing our district, specifically our walkability, is a great one. A renewed approach to marketing this unique asset of Lakewood to families in Northeast Ohio and beyond can only be beneficial.”

So we have agreement, on record, from the school board, administration, the Mayor’s office, and the community. We all recognize Lakewood has something unique: a walkable neighborhood school district. EVERY SINGLE EFFORT should go into preserving that.

But what does our City Council think? They have been strangely quiet on this issue. Over 20 years ago, the very first issue of the Lakewood Observer featured an article titled Lakewood on the Threshold by now-Councilmember Tom Bullock. In it, Tom quotes a local professor of Urban Planning: 

"Lakewood needs to market the community, emphasizing the family environment, excellent libraries and schools…. The marketing should be national, noting the opportunities to start and grow businesses in a community where your children will walk to a neighborhood school.”

That was written in 2005. Now, twenty years later, we’re still asking the same question. The answer has been in front of us all along. Before moving forward with an irreversible school closure that offers no guarantee of success, we ask you to FIRST follow your own good advice and put it into action.

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