In Public school you are required to take ALL students in your area, While this has good and bad results (Meaning bad students are forced to be accepted and the good result is you dont have to fight to get your child in school)
I dont know the exact circumstances in Lakewood, but it does seem there is some issue of schools . I do get that people are not so happy About putting their children in schools without reputations. Maybe a lottery type system would be a better way or some other way to assign schools to children