Akron Public Schools Sexual Harassment Investigation Drags On for Months—Parents Demand Answers

Akron Public Schools (APS) is closing out 2025 with two moves that could reshape the district’s culture and enrollment landscape: a newly adopted anti-nepotism policy and a fast-approaching deadline for families who want to transfer schools next fall. Board adopts strict anti-nepotism rules On Dec. 1, the APS Board of Education unanimously approved its first formal nepotism policy. The rules bar supervisors from having a “direct or indirect line of authority” over relatives and require full disclosure of family ties during hiring. The policy covers all jobs—full-time, part-time, temporary and permanent—and applies to romantic partners as well as immediate family members. Board members say the goal is to bolster public trust as APS prepares to hire dozens of staff to replace pandemic-era grant positions that expire in 2026. Why it matters • Transparency: Ohio’s urban districts face heightened scrutiny over spending and staffing. Clear rules can reduce accusations of favoritism. • Hiring wave: APS Superintendent C. R. Robinson told members the district will need a “clean, competitive process” to recruit teachers for expanding career-pathway programs next year. • Board dynamics: Three new members elected in November promised tougher ethics oversight; approving the policy was their first joint action. Open enrollment window ends Dec. 15 At the same time, APS families have less than two weeks to file open-enrollment requests for the 2026-27 school year. The portal allows elementary and middle school students to list two preferred Community Learning Centers, while high-schoolers can rank three programs, including sought-after pathways in engineering, culinary arts and the International Baccalaureate diploma. Applications require only a parent ID for current APS students, but newcomers must upload proof of birth, immunization records and two proofs of residency. Transportation is not provided for most transfers, a factor officials urge families to weigh before submitting forms. Key dates and tips • School showcases: Firestone CLC, North HS and Miller South have evening open houses through Nov. 20; recordings will remain online for late-deciders. • Specialized auditions: Students aspiring to Miller South or Firestone’s School for the Arts must schedule auditions by Jan. 10. • Lottery alerts: National Inventors Hall of Fame STEM Middle School will email lottery results in February; wait-listed students often receive seats by June. Funding clouds linger District leaders warn that looming federal Title I reductions could trim APS’s discretionary budget by $7.7 million in 2026, threatening tutoring and mental-health programs. The board is lobbying Ohio lawmakers for a temporary funding-gap grant and says the nepotism policy will help “document every dollar spent on staffing.” What parents are saying • “If the district is tightening ethics, that’s good. But we also need to know tutoring won’t disappear,” said North Hill parent Erika Salazar after a board meeting Tuesday. • Firestone senior Malik Greene, who mentors freshmen in the STEM academy, added, “The open-enrollment deadline sneaks up on people. I tell eighth-graders, pick a school that matches your career goals, not just your friends.” What’s next • Dec. 8: APS will post a FAQ video on the new nepotism rules. • Dec. 12: Final in-person help session for open-enrollment forms at Main Library, 4–7 p.m. • Dec. 15: Online portal closes at 11:59 p.m. Families receive placement notifications in March. Bottom line From tightened hiring safeguards to expanded school-choice options, Akron Public Schools is positioning itself for a pivotal 2026. Parents who want a say in where—and how—their children learn should act before the Dec. 15 deadline, while taxpayers can expect more transparency on who’s hired to teach them.