On October 2, 2012, Bishop Richard Lennon sent the below information to the pastors of the Catholic parishes located in the City of Cleveland in support of ballot issue 107 to benefit the Cleveland Metropolitan School District.
Dear Father,
I am writing to address the pressing need for our support of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District 15-mill tax levy at the November 6th election. From a social justice standpoint, we believe reform and upgrade of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District are essential to give Cleveland students a fair chance for success. Your encouragement to parishioners to support the levy is even more important with the release of the 2011-2012 Report Card placing the District in Academic Emergency. This is exactly why we should support the need to transform the school district and the Cleveland Plan.
Mayor Frank Jackson and Superintendent Eric Gordon, his committee and staff have created the Cleveland Plan for Transforming Schools. It is a visionary, challenging plan for the improvement of education in the city of Cleveland with real changes: