In the best interest of scholars

Another viewpoint is a column The Morning Journal makes available so all sides of an issue may be aired. David Hardy Jr. is the CEO of Lorain City Schools.

I write this today as a leader in the community, and to the community that I love. In

Kim Scott’s book “Radical Candor,” the author states the importance of honest conversation and says that you must, “Care deeply, and challenge directly.” Please see this as my challenge for us all.

When asked if I would respond to fear mongering, angry, and unproductive words driven by what divides us as a nation— let alone a community — my answer will not change.

Providing an answer to such words would be no better than a retaliation of negativity. One that does nothing for the community.

A community that continues to watch and want leadership who will step into the vacuum of success, and make improvements to what we see and hear in our everyday lives.

I will not answer to, nor do I feel the need to ever respond or attend to, desperate desires for uncivil dialogue that keeps us from our end goal.

It has become unfortunate, in many ways, to see an individual the Lorain community looks to for leadership continuously seek ways to divide, create fear, and hate.

The work of providing a quality education to a community of scholars, which for years was failed by leadership, is hard enough.

We must focus our collective energy on the brilliance, love, and opportunity that lives in each of our children; from our scholars who are blazing the academic trails with ACT scores that rival students who now attend Ivy League schools, to the precision of our JROTC scholars who relentlessly pursue perfection for hours after school, to those scholars who work so hard to get better every day, to the teacher who is seeking the oxygen to breath freely in their building, but is suffocated by the negativity that keeps them from speaking up for the reality we must all face, to the school leaders who work tirelessly to create positive learning environments, that is where we will focus.

My heart goes out to the caring community leaders who sit on Lorain’s elected school board, and are associated with unfortunate comments of false information, as it is unfair to them.

Although it may not be popular for them to make a stand for what is right for kids—given the narrative they must follow—I respect them deeply and look forward to the day where we can rally together in the best interests of the community and scholars we both care most about.

I ask with the truest form of humility, that you allow your inner wisdom and deepest care for our children of Lorain to stand against what is wrong about the current rhetoric and unify around what is right for our children.

This is no easy ask.

The idea that a collective political stance is more valuable than the livelihood of almost 7,000 individual young people who cannot even vote for the politics that govern their fate, is something that I cannot stand for and knowing each of you through individual conversation—during moments of crisis and otherwise—you too know what is right.

You know the heart of this administration and its intent is not far from, if not exactly aligned to, the same core beliefs that you hold about our children. Let’s come together.

I contend that there is no more significant time in our school district’s history than the present moment. It is now when we can decide to put our individual differences aside and put collective morality, belief, and hope front and center.

To do so, we must first realize that our nearly 7,000 scholars have names and individual dreams.

We must understand the importance of providing the opportunity to see what is possible, without limiting them with language and actions that indicate otherwise.

Secondly, we must be OK with unveiling the unfortunate truths about our academic journey and realize that our road ahead is full of twists and turns. This road ahead will require those onboard to sacrifice, trust, and commit to a higher set of standards for our kids.

However we must work together to find a path for our scholars that will bring them to a destination that matches their desires.

This bumpy road ahead can, and will be, experienced by those who see what is possible and by those who want to help our children get to their destination.

This only happens with a fully committed heart, an open mind to lateral thinking, and a voice that stands for the wellbeing of all scholar.

Lastly, we must and will raise the levels of accountability, because our scholars deserve nothing less than educational excellence.

This too may be too much for some, and that is OK. There are other ways and places to educate.

But for those that are committed understand accountability comes with the reward of success for kids and we want you here.

These ideas may not be popular, nor commonly spoken. However, my purpose in this community, that I have grown to love deeply, is also not popular with those who want more of the same.

However, we cannot ignore the truth.

Our scholars need and want us to step up—so let’s step up together.

David Hardy Jr.