RH Jones: ORTA & CORE Need to Back OEA's Recommendations for Governor

From RH Jones, June 26, 2006

To Those Who Care for Children and Their Teachers:

Especially to the leaders of ORTA and CORE, I quote Martin Luther King (MLK) who declared in 1965: "A man dies when he refuses to stand up for that which is right; a man dies when he refuses to stand up for justice; a man dies when he refuses to take a stand for that which is true".

It is time we take our stand and back OEA's right, just & true stand in the backing of Ted Strickland for Ohio Governor. It is interesting to note that the OFT, NEOEA, and the independent Akron Education Association (AEA) also endorse Strickland. All these groups are leading the way in making public education a right for Ohio's children. Is it not just, and true, that the ORTA and the CORE not follow?

My proud CORE has been right, just and true in the past, they need to do so now. In particular, leaders of ORTA have told me that it is right not to endorse a candidate for governor. They say that: " We need to 'work with' members of both parties". Friends, our STRS pension and HC/Rx has come under attack as we tried to "work with" the ruling party these past 10-yrs, or so, in Columbus. It has been impossible to "work with" them. They have a one track mind set of the unworkable, and unaccountable: The privatization of the schools, period.

What does it take to wake up active/retired teachers? And look at college tuition outstripping inflation; do you want pre-K through college education affordable only for the rich? To go on further, the AEA says in their May, 2006 publication: "A growing number of voters -- not just in Akron -- have vowed not to support another school levy until the state fixes the school funding problem. It is encouraging to know that voters are becoming more aware that there is such a problem in Columbus, as the Supreme Court said there was 10 years ago; in the meantime, paying the price <> legislative incompetence is very painful. What's missing from this 'unless, then' equation is that voters keep returning the very same lawmakers who refuse to address funding issues and are forcing school districts to ask property owners every three years on average to foot the bill."

Friends, Ken Blackwell is campaigning on no new taxes. If he (and the others who follow his thinking) is elected, we will have more of the same: educators spending even more valuable time pushing increasingly hard to pass school levies. To solve the problem, Ted Strickland is leading the discussion of adding some fair ways of funding education. I say: What would be wrong with raising taxes on junk foods and soda pop? These confections are destroying children's health.

Cigarettes are now heavily taxed in Ohio; in the search for fair taxes for us, we need to look at other states tax structures that may help to show us the way in fulfilling our state's constitution concerning support of adequate support of public education.

All of you are aware of the consequences of continuing the downward spiral of our most lovely state in the union, Ohio. We can not be too generous in supporting our children, and their teachers, in public education. The future of Ohio's children depends on it. In fact, every Ohio citizen's future depends on it. Yes, even Ken Blackwell's.

RHJones,

This time, a PROUD Life Member of OEA, NEOEA, AEA & a Life Member of ORTA & CORE( Not so proud, this time.)