During public comment on Nov. 24, multiple residents asked the Lakewood Board of Education for clearer oversight and transparency after the board approved school consolidation, raised concerns about student travel safety if boundaries change, and reported labor issues affecting school-based counselors.

Georgine Sessen, a retired Lakewood City Schools teacher and longtime resident, urged perspective and community unity after building repurposing decisions, noting past consolidations and student resilience. “Children are resilient more than we adults,” Sessen said.

Bryce Dawson, a community organizer with the Workers Justice Committee and SEIU District 1199, told the board that counselors employed by Belfair had their union recognition withdrawn in a Sept. 25 letter from management that cited a religious exemption. Dawson said some employees resigned under pressure and that the change affected counseling services in Lakewood schools. The board did not provide a response in the recorded transcript; Dawson asked the board to note the situation and offered contact information for follow-up.

Emily Lindbergh, representing Bike Lakewood, urged the district to ensure walking and biking remain safe after elementary closures and preschool centralization. Lindbergh said longer car lines, fewer pedestrian access points, and consolidation that pushes students farther from assigned buildings could increase congestion and create equity and safety concerns. She asked the district to include the Safe Routes to School working group in transition planning and to use the ODOT student-mode tally survey consistently districtwide.

Rebecca Van Oost, an Emerson parent who served on the facilities task force, asked the board to fill gaps that accompanied the consolidation vote—specifically a missing budget and financial analysis, unclear utilization calculations for Lincoln Early Learning Center, and undefined success criteria. She requested a centralized, public online repository for transition plans, cost tracking, milestones and contingencies and urged the board to commit to more proactive oversight.

All speakers requested clearer processes and public access to information as the district moves into transition planning; the board did not take immediate action in response to the public comments recorded in the meeting transcript.