Newton D. Baker School of Arts - Save Our School

04/30/2025

This page is not abandoned.

I’ve been quietly making a plan, on my timeline, because theirs was never real. Thirteen business days to “engage” the community, “plan” a school closure, and “transition” hundreds of children was not just rushed, it was performative. It was a decision made behind closed doors, with no real input, no transparency, and no regard for public voice. It was based on deception and bad data. That’s not democracy; it’s authoritarianism. It’s fascist in the way it concentrated power at the top and silenced the people most affected. And we must push back.

They seem awfully proud of themselves for executing a school closure in 13 business days, violating civil rights, displacing children without assigned schools, without accurate data, and certainly without community consent. But the fight is far from over.

I’ll be updating this page regularly, though I admit I’m flaky, so don’t mistake quiet for surrender. I’ve just been building something stronger than a reaction. I’ve been building a resistance.

We have to fight for Newton D. Baker because of what its closure causes: an enrollment crisis for children with disabilities, a neighborhood-wide displacement for families in Kamm’s Corners. We are the second largest neighborhood in Cleveland, and they want to leave us with one neighborhood school? It’s outrageous.

Our children deserve local friends. They deserve to grow up with their peers, in their community, in the neighborhood. We fight for our own kids, and the ones who come next at Kamm's.

But tonight, something a little different...but not really.

In a far-off corner of the animal kingdom, there is a beloved little school called Norton D. Baxter School of Arts. It had a leaky roof, some humble goats, and arrogant eagles. And it may or may not be a tale that sounds a bit familiar.

“The Day the Goats Took the Blame: A Parable About Power, Blame, and Rooftop Truths.”
Sometimes the best way to tell the truth is through a fable.

Listen to River K. Beecher - The Day the Goats Took the Blame.m4a by Teachers Gone Wild on SoundCloud.

The Day the Goats Took the Blame A Parable About Power, Blame, and Rooftop Truths: Told by River K. Beecher, a free river rat I’m River K. Beecher, escaped lab rat, part-time narrator, full-time tr

04/07/2025

📣 Welcome to the Fight to Save Newton D. Baker School of Arts 🎨🏫

This page is dedicated to stopping the unlawful and discriminatory closure of Newton D. Baker, and holding leaders accountable—starting with Dr. Morgan.

🎯 Our primary goal is to get Dr. Morgan to withdraw his recommendation to close Newton D. Baker. We will continue urging the CMSD Board of Education to reject the recommendation at the same time.
We also call on school board members, city officials, and community leaders to publicly oppose this harmful and illegal decision and to use their influence to pressure Dr. Morgan to reverse course.

💥 This proposed closure is not only unjust; it violates both federal and state laws, disproportionately infringing on the rights of students with disabilities and their families. We are here to make sure the public understands that the way this closure is being pursued will create long-term (10+ years) challenges for the district in meeting the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) criteria for students with disabilities in the Kamm’s Corners and West Park neighborhoods.

📚 This page will:
-Expose the legal violations connected to this closure
-Inform families of their rights under IDEA, Section 504, and the ADA
-Discuss case law that exposes the unlawfulness of Dr. Morgan’s approach to the school closure
-Share ways to take action, contact decision-makers, and protect our school
-Connect with others nationwide fighting to save their own public schools
-And we’ll throw in some laughs, because this whole situation is so wildly unjust, it’s practically begging to be roasted. This is a call to action—for every parent, advocate, and leader who believes in public educational justice.

🛑 Closing Newton D. Baker is not just wrong. It’s unlawful. And we won’t let it happen without a fight.

04/06/2025

Launching April 7th, 2025. Stay tuned.