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Community advocates urge Akron schools to reduce insurance and administrative barriers to use Community Learning Centers
Summary
Speakers representing neighborhood groups and the Akron Urban League told the board that insurance costs and an outdated reservation process keep grassroots groups from using school Community Learning Centers, and asked the district to coordinate with the city and Joint Board of Review to lower barriers.
Several community advocates asked the Akron Public School Board on Nov. 4 to make Community Learning Centers (CLCs) more accessible to neighborhood organizations and nonprofits.
N. J. Akbar of the Akron Urban League Young Professionals said the committee reviewed CLC policies and determined they create unnecessary barriers for small groups, including an insurance requirement that was written more than 15 years ago and a city payment provision that never materialized. "We're asking for some type of relief for the community, to be able to use these buildings after hours, without that undue harm," Akbar said.
William Eugene Blake, director of programming for a local music nonprofit, offered a concrete example: the premium for a $1,000,000 event policy can be roughly $425, he said, an amount many grassroots groups cannot afford. Blake called on the board to streamline reservations, align district and city policies, and eliminate excessive insurance demands so CLCs function as intended for community use.
Board members acknowledged the concerns and asked administration to work with city officials and the Joint Board of Review on policy changes; no formal policy change was adopted at the meeting.
