CLEVELAND — A packed room greeted the Cleveland Metropolitan School District Board of Education Wednesday night as it met for the first time since announcing plans to close and merge dozens of schools .

The meeting focused on the district's "Building Brighter Futures" plan, which recommends closing or merging 29 schools and vacating 18 buildings. Anticipating strong turnout, the board doubled the number of speakers allowed during public comment.

One by one, parents, educators, and community members stepped to the microphone to share their thoughts.

"You have done a wonderful and incredible job of hearing the hard questions and hearing the hard statements," Danelle Chappell — CMSD's community, college and career center coordinator — said. "You have built the guardrails, you have bu

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