City law stops high school plan to open an arcade in building

GARFIELD HEIGHTS, Ohio (AP) -- A 22-year-old city law has prevented Garfield Heights High School officials from opening an arcade next to the school cafeteria.
The school principal and district superintendent had wanted to allow air hockey and pinball games during lunch periods as an incentive for students to behave or do better in class.
But tucked amid the city's youth curfew laws is an ordinance that prohibits teens from operating "a mechanical or electrical amusement device" during a school day unless a parent is present.
When it was passed in 1982, the law kept students from skipping class to play Pac-Man.
"A lot of communities at that time were passing similar laws to prevent these game rooms," city Law Director David Mack said. He learned of the old law after some parents called with concerns about the school arcade.
"Without the city council amending the law, it can't open," Mack said.
Mayor Thomas Longo said he sees a clear difference between the school's arcade plan and the game-room law. But Superintendent Ronald Victor and Principal Terry Olszewski canceled the plans when Longo sent them a letter pointing out the law.
Metropolitan Vending already had installed several games in the school, but the arcade had not opened. Metropolitan will remove the machines for free, Victor said.
"At this point it's dead," said Victor, who had been enthusiastic about the project. "But it wasn't squashed by the superintendent."