Roughly 100 students from Davis Aerospace and Maritime High School made their way from the Lakeside Avenue school building to the doors of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District.
“I’m a junior, I’m ready to leave, but this fight isn’t for me or the other seniors here,” said Zavier Avery, a Davis Aerospace and Maritime High School Junior.
The students took steps on Tuesday to make sure their message is heard. They’re protesting because they’re upset the school district is considering moving their year-round school year to a traditional calendar.
“There are a lot of opportunities with aviation and maritime that are at risk of being lost if we go to the traditional calendar,” Avery said.
“The best time for aviation and maritime is June, July and August,” he said.
The district said right now there are five different calendars for the nearly 100 CMSD schools, and standardizing the calendar would save the district millions of dollars.
“This may feel like a large change to the students, but the real change is frankly financial,” said Jon Benedict, CMSD District Communications Officer.
Benedict said the savings could be $27 million over three years.
“Their programming won’t change, this is just going to bring their school year in line with other schools,” said Benedict.
The school board will have its regular meeting next Tuesday.
