Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging

Lakewood City Schools is committed to all students feeling valued and respected, regardless of race, ethnicity, ability, family structure, gender or sexual orientation. On this page you will find updates on the steps the District is taking to fulfill this mission as well as some resources for families who may be interested in learning more about diversity, equity and inclusion.

Board of Education Resolutions

In July, the State Board of Education passed a resolution to condemn racism and advance equity and opportunity for Black students, Indigenous students and students of color. The resolution also outlines new anti-racism mandates. You can read the Board's resolution here.

Also in July, the Lakewood Board of Education passed a resolution challenging the Ohio Department of Education to revise current core content standards to be more culturally inclusive. You can read more about the Lakewood Board's resolution here.

DEI Task Force

The District has a standing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Task Force comprised of staff, administrators, students and parents from all school communities. Meeting regularly throughout the year, the task force is dedicated to dismantling systemic barriers, fostering cultural competence and critical consciousness and ensuring equitable opportunities for all students to achieve our shared vision of a Ranger.

Diversity is respecting, valuing, and embracing the range of similarities and differences individuals and groups bring to our community/world.
Inclusion is the active, intentional and ongoing engagement with all individuals in our diverse community
Educational equity means that each child receives the resources needed to develop their full academic, social, emotional, and behavioral potential.
Belonging is defined as each student, family and staff member feeling accepted, valued, included, and encouraged as an important part of the school community.

Social Studies Courses Broaden Viewpoints

In the 2021-2022 school year, Lakewood High began offering African American and Native American history semester electives that allow teachers to more adequately explore contributions of Americans of all cultures and races. In the 2022-2023 school year, the high school was part of a national pilot of 60 high schools that offered AP African American History.

Books Fostering Equity & Inclusion

To strengthen individual identities, and grow understanding, respect, and empathy for those who are different from oneself, we have purchased some new books for our elementary classroom libraries, and are supporting teachers in leading age-appropriate classroom discussions on topics related equity and identity.

We encourage you to partner with us in this commitment. Resources for families on talking about diversity, equity and inclusion can be found at: https://socialjusticebooks.org/

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