George Floyd Protests: Lakewood Schools Superintendent Weighs In

LAKEWOOD, OH — The Lakewood Schools "stand in solidarity with the fight against racial injustice," Superintendent Michael Barnes said in a letter to the community. Protests have broken out across Ohio and the nation following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

Floyd died after being arrested by Minneapolis police. Video of his arrest shows officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on Floyd's neck, while Floyd repeatedly says he "cannot breathe." Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter on Friday.

Protests over Floyd's death have erupted in Columbus and Cleveland, leading to curfews in both cities. Some protests have given way to violent unrest, with police firing tear gas into crowds and protesters burning police cruisers and damaging property.

"We stand in solidarity with the fight against racial injustice. However, we do not condone violence. We are committed to promoting a culture of respect, tolerance, and inclusion for all people," Barnes said in his letter.

Barnes said all members of society must challenge themselves to be part of the solution in defeating racism. Standing idly by, Barnes said, will "perpetuate the problem." The superintendent vowed to refocus the Lakewood Schools on dismantling systemic racism.

"We promise to examine our own practices that may have implicit biases embedded within them. We commit to being a partner in problem-solving and finding creative solutions and strategies to ensure that the words equity and justice are not just hollow platitudes, but truths that our students can count on moving forward," Barnes said.

The superintendent concluded his letter by urging the community to stand against racism.

"We must all take a stand against racism. Let this be the moment when our children some day look back and say, this is when we stood together for change," Barnes.