Don Gatchell on Strickland-Blackwell debate, October 16, 2006

From Don Gatchell, October 16, 2006

Education Reader:

I really do not want to e-mail anyone about the 3 conversational taboos: politics, religion or sex. However, I have commented on the politics of the Ohio campaigns often this year. I have gotten so involved in the governor's election this year because the outcome will affect education in Ohio for years to come.

Strickland Fends Off Blackwell's Attempts at Character Smears

I am currently watching the last of the televised debates between the candidates for Ohio governor. Kenneth Blackwell again prefers to try to defame Ted Strickland's character rather than discuss the issues. That political approach is from the Karl Rove "school of negative campaigning." This is an insight to Blackwell's true character not Strickland's.

Mr. Blackwell, current Secretary of State, has been in a state-wide elected office for twelve years representing the majority party. Yet he claims to have new ideas about how to improve Ohio if he is elected governor. Where were these ideas the last twelve years? He said Mr. Strickland wants to keep the status quo of the Taft years and claims to have distanced himself from Gov. Taft. However, Kenneth was the recipient of thousands of dollars when the Tafts hosted a fundraiser for him in August. What a hypocrite!

It was revealed that a top contributor to the Blackwell campaign was the for-profit charter school/school voucher lobby. The David Brennan group White Hat Schools, who operate 30 for-profit charter schools, contributed $76,000 and David and his wife contributed an additional $30,000. Charter school lobbyists outside of Ohio have donated an additional $100,000.[contribution records, Ohio Secretary of State] The president of the Advocates for School Choice stated "the school choice movement has no greater friend than Ken Blackwell." [Cleveland Plain Dealer, 7/24/2006] If Mr. Blackwell wanted to save money for Ohio schools, why did he endorse the $1.4 billion of state tax dollars that for-profit charter schools have been paid from the state coffers. Furthermore, even though White Hat Management has received millions of dollars in profits, their schools lagged far behind public schools in proficiency test scores. [Cleveland Plain Dealer, 4/4/2006] What a debacle!

Mr. Blackwell has criticized Ted Strickland for not explaining his final plan for changes in the Ohio education program. The reason is that Mr. Strickland does not want to finalize his plan until he meets with all of the stake holders, gets their input and develops a dynamic plan acceptable to all involved. Mr. Blackwell seems to have forgotten that a complaint against the Taft-Blackwell regime has been that they develop a plan then coerce the state into following it.

Mr. Ken Blackwell -- your & Mr. Taft's turn in Ohio government is over! Your 'gang' ignored the Ohio Supreme Court order to correct the method of school funding. Let's give Ted Strickland & Lee Fisher a chance. They will do better!

Respectfully,

Don

Don Gatchell

Chillicothe, OH

RCRTA, ORTA, CORE