Board OKs Lawsuit Settlement

On Aug. 4, 2026, the Lakewood Board of Education approved a settlement agreement that resolves the litigation filed by Friends of Lakewood against the Board of Education. While the Board is unable at this juncture to comment in a more robust manner on the terms of the settlement, it is important to the Board that the community knows that the Board did not resolve the litigation because it felt it did anything wrong in the events that led to the Board's approval of the superintendent's recommendation to repurpose Lincoln Elementary School.  Rather, the Board approved the settlement because it is mindful of its obligations to be a careful steward of the taxpayer money that largely funds the District and its educational programming, and resolving the case now avoids the significant time and expense that comes along with protracted litigation. At this time, the Board is not able to comment further, but the Board looks forward to bringing this dispute to a close so that the school community can focus on what is most important - providing the students of the District with the best education possible.