Cleveland School Board Faces Backlash Over Layoffs and School Closures Amid Funding Crisis
CLEVELAND — Emotions ran high at Tuesday’s Cleveland Metropolitan School District Board of Education meeting as more than 200 teachers, parents, and community members packed into Max S. Hayes High School’s gymnasium. The gathering marked the first public forum since the district announced sweeping layoffs and school consolidations—a move that has sparked outrage and frustration among educators and families.
Teachers Protest “Blighted Futures”
Cleveland Teachers Union members held protest signs, with one stark message reading, “Building Blighted Futures”—a pointed critique of the district’s Building Brighter Futures restructuring plan. The controversial proposal includes shutting down 18 buildings, closing 29 schools, and merging 39 others, a strategy officials say will save the district $30 million annually.
But for many, the cost-cutting measures come at too high a price.
Fourteen speakers addressed the board, including Cleveland Teachers Union President Errol Savage, who expressed deep disappointment in the plan.
“I had such hopes for Building Brighter Futures,” Savage told the board. “I thought it would mean more opportunities for students, better choices for families, and expanded programs. Instead, we’re seeing layoffs—over 400 of them.”
“Anger at the System, Not the Board”
Savage acknowledged the raw emotions in the room, predicting that many speakers would vent their frustration. However, he emphasized that the anger wasn’t solely directed at the board or district leadership, but at Ohio’s broader school funding system, which he called “inherently unfair to children.”
“This disproportionately hurts urban districts, especially Black students,” Savage said. “Any state legislator who claims otherwise is lying. If it takes the whitest guy in the room to say it, maybe someone will finally listen.”
He also took aim at local sports team owners, accusing them of prioritizing stadium parking lots over public education. “Seventeen years ago, they decided their lots were worth more than our schools,” he said.
Board Chair Responds to Criticism
Board Chair Sara Elaqad had previously addressed the layoffs in a statement, acknowledging the pain they would cause.
“There’s little I can say to ease the harm felt by those affected,” she wrote. “Like many districts in Ohio and across the country, we’re facing a funding crisis and shifting demographics. Sometimes, that means making impossible choices.”
The district’s financial struggles reflect a larger trend in public education, where declining enrollment and inadequate state funding have forced tough decisions. But for Cleveland’s educators, the human toll is undeniable.
What Comes Next?
With the restructuring plan moving forward, teachers and parents are demanding more transparency and accountability from both district leaders and state lawmakers. Many argue that without systemic changes in education funding, urban schools will continue to bear the brunt of budget shortfalls.
As the debate rages on, one thing is clear: Cleveland’s public schools—and the communities they serve—are at a crossroads.
— Reported by Nexio News
