School board keeps hoods in dress code
Akron Public Schools Board of
Education
By Jeff Gorman
Wearing a hooded sweatshirt to class will be allowed under the dress code policy approved by the Akron Public Schools (APS) District Board of Education May 14.
The board considered three options, including one with no zip-up hooded tops and another with no hooded tops at all.
Board member the Rev. Curtis Walker articulated the concern about hoods.
“A worker may see a student with a hood on and not know who it is,” he said. “With a strange person in a hood walking around, the school may be shut down.”
Ultimately, the board decided that hoods wouldn’t pose a major threat and that they would be allowed.
Another point of discussion was the language of the dress code. Firestone High School student Jacob Rosen spoke to the board to say the wording of the dress code was too vague.
“There are numerous phrases that are subjective,” he said, “like ‘hair accessories should not create a distraction,’ ‘garments must be anchored at the natural waist’ and ‘jewelry must not create a safety hazard.’ What exactly does that mean?”
“After the policy is passed, the administration will create guidelines to enforce it,” responded board Vice President Linda Omobien.
“This is the most specific dress code we’ve ever had,” said Superintendent Sylvester Small. “We want this to endure over time. We don’t want to say, ‘here are 101 things you can’t wear,’ and then a student wears No. 102.”
The dress code will go into effect for the 2007-08 school year. The 10-person task force that designed the dress code will turn its attention to uniforms for elementary and middle school students for the 2008-09 school year.
Board President Linda Kersker issued a call to action for those who want to get a constitutional amendment for school funding on the November ballot. Kersker said supporters need to collect 400,000 signatures of registered voters by early August.
If the amendment passes, the state government would have to commit a certain amount of money that a committee would determine is the cost of a quality education.
Kersker acknowledged the proposal does not name a specific funding source. She did note the Ohio General Assembly would have the power to override the committee’s ruling (with a 60 percent vote). The governor would have veto power as well.
Kersker directed supporters to the www.rightforohio.org Web site, where they can download ballot petitions.
“If everyone concerned collected five signatures,” she said, “it would go a long way toward getting this accomplished.”
In other news:
• Ricky Powers will succeed Claude Brown as the head football coach at Buchtel High School. Small made the announcement at the meeting. Powers is a former NFL player and the current baseball coach at Buchtel.
• Another personnel move was the hiring of Thomas Forbes as the director of the Early College program.
“I have some direct experience with what a program like this can do to change kids’ lives,” Forbes said.
Assistant Superintendent Sue Long said 205 students have applied for the 100 spots in the program, including 10 city residents who wish to return after leaving the APS. Long said the selection process is about to begin.
The program is designed for students who would be the first in their families to graduate from college. They would take classes at The University of Akron and earn associate’s degrees along with their high school diplomas.
• Buchtel senior Norman Wolfe won a $1,000 Jim Beal Scholarship from the Subcontractors Association of Northeast Ohio. Ellet senior Sasha Krizanic also won the scholarship, which is designed for students who plan to pursue construction-related studies.
• Music teacher Alissa Fullen spoke to the board, asking for the reinstatement of the elementary school instrumental music program.
• Before the meeting, the Joint Board of Review met to discuss the school reconstruction project. The board approved the design documents for the Findley Community Learning Center. The school budget is currently set at $11.8 million.
The Joint Board also approved a purchase order for building commissioning services with Lawhon & Associates, of Columbus, for $27,456. The company will go through the construction documents and make sure all of the systems are installed at the David Hill and Helen Arnold community learning centers.
Due to the Memorial Day holiday, May 28, the next meeting will take place May 29 at 5:30 p.m. at the Administration Building, 70 N. Broadway. The joint board will meet at 4 p.m.
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