What's Next For Cleveland Schools After Voters Choose To Not Approve Bond

We have reaction after voters shot down a $21-million school bond issue.

While 56 percent of voters supported the bond at Cleveland Public Schools, bond issues need at least 60 percent to pass.

The Superintendent said the three projects they proposed are still important and will need to be addressed at some point.

As a parent of a student in Cleveland, Cayce Mautino supported about two thirds of what was included in the bond issue.

"This is the town that I went to school in years ago, so to kind of see the facilities look the same, I was really kind of excited about what that could mean for her moving forward," said Mautino.

Mautino was all for a new cafeteria and renovations to the high school.

But his 12-year-old daughter is more interested in the arts than athletics.

"We don't have those facilities so when the football thing came up, we talked about that and I said, 'Well, you know, for my kid this is what's important,'" Mautino said.

Mautino said he ended up voting for the school bond and said the additions would have put them on par with some of the larger schools in our state.

"For the community to thrive, the school system has to thrive," said Mautino.

School Administrators are back to the drawing board, and for now the kids will keep eating here in their makeshift cafeteria. Depending on the time of day, it's also the intermediate schools gym.

Mautino hopes people can get behind any future bond issues

"That's people's voices being heard in the community and so we say okay how do we motivate voter turnout," Mautino said.

"Even though we had a little disappointment last night it doesn't change who we're here for and why we're here," said Dr. Allen Baker, Supt. Cleveland Public Schools.

The Superintendent said after regrouping, they'll get the community committee back together in a few weeks, and with the help of the school board, they'll start tweaking the proposal.

"We looked at different lengths of bonds. Different amounts of money. And I think we'll look at all of those things, so it could be the same with some additions, some subtractions," said Dr. Baker.