Here is a little tidbit from Ohio.com (August 4, 2008):
...Two years ago, Taylor was dogged by parochial questions. Democrats accused her of being too close to GOP fundraiser, entrepreneur and charter school operator David Brennan and Summit County Republican Party Chairman Alex Arshinkoff.
And it is true that Brennan and Arshinkoff helped Taylor then and earlier in her career....
....She acknowledges Brennan has contributed to her campaign, as he has to many other Republican candidates, and she respects his efforts to work for the betterment of Akron and Summit County...
Is the deal already sealed?????
*In an article from the LA Times, Republican John Kasich said he wanted "...total school choice..."
...Education, for example, has been grabbed by Kasich as a perfect demonstration of his "bottom up" philosophy that power now held by the federal government should be sent back to Joe and Jane Citizen. He wants "total school choice," which would allow states to organize schools as they wish, even using tax money to send children to private schools. A free-market enthusiast, he envisions entrepreneurs setting up new schools and competing for students. What qualifications would the entrepreneurs have to have? "Minimal qualifications," he says...
He has little patience for concerns that some of the neediest children could be left behind: "I don't know what will come, but I know what we have ain't working."...
This is all very frightening. School entrepreneurs (AKA charter school owners) would have "...minimal qualifications..."????? Is he out of his mind? This kind of comment on his part shows his lack of respect for the teachers who work everyday with children. I am also very upset with Kasich's lack of concern for the poorest and struggling students. Does Kasich think anyone can teach or run a school?
In case you are interested, this LA Times article is from April 6, 1999. It might be worth asking Kasich if he still holds these same beliefs about "total school choice." If elected, Kasich plans to eliminate the state income tax which would indeed end funding for public schools, higher education, etc., etc., etc.,...