The board of the Akron Public Schools placed Superintendent Michael Robinson on paid administrative leave this week after an independent investigation found credible allegations of abusive behavior, bullying and retaliation toward staff.
The board held a special meeting this week after receiving the report. Robinson signed a five-year contract with Akron Public Schools in the summer of 2023 and is on leave pending board action.
We will begin Friday’s “Sound of Ideas Reporters Roundtable” with Education Reporter discussing the report and why not all board members voted to place the superintendent on leave.
Union groups are pushing for a repeal of Senate Bill 1, which combats what its supporters claim is a liberal bias on college campuses by banning most diversity programs. The bill also bans faculty strikes and requires post-tenure review for professors. It's set to take effect in June and opponents want to put a repeal measure on the ballot in November. The architect of the bill, Sen. Jerry Cirino of Kirtland, laid out the case of the legislation to a packed City Club of Cleveland forum yesterday as several dozen protesters gathered on the Euclid Ave. sidewalk outside.
The shrinking of Cleveland City Council from 17 seats to 15 means at least one councilmember vs. councilmember battle -- Ward 5's Richard Starr vs. Ward 12's Rebecca Maurer, whose Ward 12 was sliced into multiple pieces, leaving her home in the newly drawn Ward 5. The two incumbents will face off in a September primary for the new Ward 5.
A federal judge this week permanently struck down an Ohio law that would required children younger than 16 to get parental consent to join social media and gaming sites.
The Social Media Parental Notification Act passed in the state budget in 2023. It was sideline by a legal challenged by NetChoice just days before it was to go into effect in January of last year.
This week, Destination Cleveland debuted an after-dark light show at Public Square, Illuminate CLE. The show features music and narration timed to the lights and will celebrate Cleveland's history and special events. If you're downtown, you can see the lights every night at the top of the hour starting at 8 p.m. through 11 p.m. As the sun sets later, the first show will move to 9 p.m. and then 10 p.m. during peak summer months.
Guests:
-Conor Morris, Education Reporter, Ideastream Public Media
-Abbey Marshall, Local Government Reporter, Ideastream Public Media
-Karen Kasler, Statehouse News Bureau Chief, Ohio Public Radio/TV
