Cleveland and its East Side inner-ring suburbs have astoundingly high levels of school segregation, with white families overwhelmingly making educational choices for their children that perpetuate segregation. Recent research published by Beth Fry, as part of her masters thesis for Cornell University, shows that public schools are now as segregated as they were in the 1960s before court-ordered de-segregation plans were put into place.

The Black Lives Matter movement has brought national attention to the on-going issues of racial injustice and racial disparities. Our nation is deeply divided and nowhere is this more evident than in the halls of public schools. Where do we go from here? If we are to be a truly inclusive and equitable society, it makes sense that diverse schools are a critical starting point.