Akron Public Schools’ Superintendent Michael Robinson used a pair of speeches about the state of the school system to reintroduce himself to the city after a tumultuous 16 months on the job.
His speech at the Akron Press Club on Wednesday afternoon — part autobiography, academic achievement spotlight and motivational talk — offered a rare glimpse into the thinking and motivations of the community leader who has had a difficult relationship with local media. It also offered insight into the man hired to stabilize APS as it experiences financial straits and union-busting allegations from the Akron Education Association.
Two of the most noteworthy items from Robinson’s speech, which came less than a week before a crucial Election Day school levy vote, dealt with the future of North High School and rethinking — not replacing — police officers in Akron schools. Robinson also waxed poetic about his Southern upbringing, shared tales of his working class parents and related his family’s challenges to issues currently facing the school district and its students.
“Our area has always been neglected, and resources were always scarce, even when they weren’t,” Robinson said of his Louisiana hometown. “Sounds familiar for some, I’m sure.”
He then explained why his father, the owner of a septic tank cleaning business, demanded that he accompany him on early morning trips to job sites.
“My dad said, ‘Son, the reason I wanted you to experience this is because I never want you to work hard like me; go to school and get a good education and make something of yourself.’”
During his speech, which lasted for about an hour, Robinson pulled the curtain back on the man behind the superintendent title, often garnering applause and nods of affirmation from the crowd. Still, he accused critics of slandering him.
“I’ve seen my character attacked, my name smeared and my reputation even defamed, but I’m still standing,” Robinson said in front of a crowd of about 75 people. “And because of the same grit, that same fortitude that carried me from a classroom in the South to the superintendent’s office in the Midwest, that grit is still here.”
On Wednesday evening, Robinson hosted community members in a second state of the schools event — this version was held at Garfield Community Learning Center. At the event, Robinson cut back on some of his personal anecdotes and highlighted student voices and experiences in several produced videos.
He spoke to a half-filled auditorium at Garfield, invoking standing applause several times. His hour-long speech again touted academic achievements while recognizing the financial plight of the district.
Robinson says police will stay in schools
On Wednesday afternoon, Robinson was asked if he would consider removing school resource officers from Akron Public Schools after an incident on Oct. 16 at Firestone Community Learning Center. A police officer working at the school punched a teenage student three times in the head after the student evaded the metal detectors at the school’s entrance.
“Let me just be very clear: We need our police,” Robinson said.
The question was spurred by a number of local organizations and leaders that said publicly police officers have no place in public schools.
School resource officers, also referred to as SROs, are Akron Police officers who are contracted to work inside the schools, often working side by side with school security and other school administrators. The SRO contract between the school district and APD allows for up to 14 officers in the schools. The current contract concludes at the end of this year.
“We have no intentions at this point in time,” Robinson said of removing officers from schools. “That is not a topic of discussion for us right now.”
As for North High School, Robinson said there is no plan at this time to close the school if the levy does not pass.
The levy combines two measures, an operational levy and a construction bond. The latter would provide $85 million to rebuild the 93-year-old building.
“We will have to look at our fiscal state of where we are, and there will have to be some very tough, very uncomfortable decisions that will have to be made because the school is a very old building,” Robinson said.
Despite saying there were no plans for the school to close, he did not provide concrete plans about how the district would address the building’s disrepair if the measure fails — beyond reintroducing another levy.
‘I’m blazing a trail, igniting dreams of our scholars’
Robinson shared his motivations for accepting a leadership role in an unfamiliar Midwest city approximately 1,100 miles from his home state. Robinson linked the adversities he overcame in life and career to the struggles of civil rights leaders before him.
“Today, I stand at a critical moment with my voice ringing out,” he said. “It’s a clarion call for justice. I’m blazing a trail, igniting dreams of our scholars.”
After more than 15 minutes of sharing the story of his Louisiana upbringing, he laid out successes the district has experienced under his leadership. He highlighted the 88% graduation rate Akron Public Schools showed on the most recent Ohio State Education Report Cards, a statistic that leads Ohio’s eight large urban school districts.
Robinson underscored the value of the district’s community partnerships and College and Career Academies, which he said position the city to be a leader in college, military and workforce readiness.
“As superintendent,” Robinson said, “I will continue to invest in the academies and expand opportunities for our scholars.”
