My many years in education have taught me that when you lose something, it is very difficult to get it back. When schools cut music, physical education, teachers, art, nurses, counselors, or other classes/programs, it is nearly impossible to restore those cuts. In the end, students suffer because they are denied a well-rounded education.
The Republicans who control the governor's office and the Ohio House and Senate, have big plans for education. In an article in today's Dispatch, we can see that the Republican agenda for destroying public education has just started. The Republicans have voiced their opposition to smaller class sizes, which had been promoted by former Gov. Ted Strickland. Do the Ohio Republicans dislike Strickland's proposals because he was a Democrat, and they want to wipe out any evidence of his reforms? Are the Republicans and Kasich so anti-public schools and their teachers, that they want to dismantle schools to boost up the charter schools? (Boosting charter schools helps make the Republican's big contributor and charter school mogul, David Brennan, a wealthier man.) Are these bill being pushed by the Republicans their way of removing control of the public schools from community control?
If you are a parent, a teacher, or a student, you should start worrying now. Public education is an important part of our democracy. Education provides opportunities for children from every economic background to succeed and reach their goals. Cuts to public education are dangerous and hurtful. Why are Republicans against smaller class sizes? Are these Republican elected officials thinking about the students in public schools or the campaign cash they'll get from their campaign contributors who favor Republican candidates and just happen to own charter schools? (According to the Ohio Secretary of State's website for campaign finance, Randy Gardner has received $7500 from the Ohio charter school king David Brennan, and his wife.)
Dispatch:
....The bill's sponsor, Rep. Randy Gardner, R-Bowling Green, said he hopes the legislation to undo much of former Gov. Ted Strickland's evidence-based model will "send a strong message from Columbus that there is mandate relief and cost savings on the way as (district officials) plan for the next school year."
Gardner's measure also would wipe out a plan to fund smaller class sizes throughout Ohio schools.....
Keep an eye on the workings of the Kasich administration and the Republican controlled legislators who are trying to dismantle improvements that have been made to Ohio's public schools.
*** Gov. John Kasich is in hot water over his recent comments. He and his representative have been un-invited to the Martin Luther King, Jr. celebration in Cleveland.
NECN:
....The civil rights group said it would refuse a proclamation from the governor and told his minority representative, Lynn Stevens, not to attend its Martin Luther King Jr. Gala in Cleveland on Friday.....
In an article the previous day, Kasich told The Plain Dealer he wants to put together "the best possible team" and doesn't focus on such "metrics" as race or age. The newspaper reports the 20 Cabinet appointees Kasich has made so far are white.
"I want the best possible team I can get, and hopefully we will be in a position that we are fully diverse as we go forward," Kasich said. "But I can't say I need to find somebody to fit this metric, not when I am trying to get a state that is in deep trouble out of trouble."
New Ohio Gov. John Kasich's comments to a newspaper about the lack of racial diversity in his Cabinet are not sitting well with the Cleveland chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference....
By having only whites as managers and administrators, Kasich will not get the perspectives of other ethnic groups on problems and solutions that are confronting the state. The horrible parts about this lack of diversity are Kasich's complete ignorance and proof that he just doesn't care.