Flash Mobs and Curfew: More Community Forums Planned

Almost two months have passed since a group of mostly teenagers crowded Coventry and made city officials rethink their curfew laws and strategies to avoid what some call flash mobs.

In response,  and both hosted meetings in July to discuss youth issues in the city.

Mostly adult residents shared their opinions and concerns at the HCC meeting, while youth led the  forum. 

HCC board member Rebecca Zirm said many people had questions at the last meeting that were not answered, so the group is hosting another meeting at 7 p.m. Aug. 29 in the .

The plans are still being finalized, but she hopes this meeting offers more solutions. 

“We’re having a panel of folks who can give us their sense about ways to improve the situation in Cleveland Heights in terms of youth and the community,” Zirm said.

Issues brought up at the last meeting that the panelists may expand on is how to use social media in a positive way, parents’ responsibility for youth behavior and how to address the perception that some laws are not enforced equally among races.

The panelists have not been confirmed, but Zirm hopes to have Michael Walker, executive director for Partnership for a Safer Cleveland, a youth representative and others.

The meeting is a combined effort of the Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library, the , Open Doors Academy and others, she said. 

John Nelson, co-founder of the , said the organization plans to bring ideas to the Heights Community Congress meeting.

“This summer has been one of the craziest in Cleveland Heights. It’s been a lot of good and a lot of bad, but a lot of good has come out of it,” he said “One of the things we’re planning for this fall as the Youth of Coventry is a neighbor meet and greet in the Coventry and Cedar Lee areas.”

He said if adults and kids have regularly scheduled opportunities to interact, some of the negative perceptions about kids and the business districts will dwindle.

“Parents are saying they don’t want their kids down on Coventry, and personally I’m not understanding where these parents are coming from. They don’t understand that there have been security measures taken to make sure they are safe,” he said. 

In addition, the group is hosting youth meetings the first Sunday of every month at 1 p.m. at . The group is also working closely with City Council to relay youth ideas to council members, and it continues to monitor social media. 

"I want (youth) to get closure and understand that the city is behind them. I have heard a lot of negativity and not enough positive feedback from the city’s actions," he said. "What they’re trying to do is solve long-term problems with short-term solutions. And that’s all they can do. They have to address it as it comes."