Gov. Strickland on vouchers and charter schools (Canton Repository)

From RH Jones, March 18, 2007
Subject: (No subject)

To all:

Julie Carr Smyth, AP Statehouse Correspondent, created an article for the CantonRep.com, 03/17/07 and I quote: "Strickland calls school vouchers 'undemocratic'

COLUMBUS Gov.Ted Strickland sliced Ohio's voucher program from his budget because he sees the concept as 'inherently undemocratic,' he said Friday.

The first Democrat to run Ohio in 16 years expressed that concern, his distaste for companies that turn public dollars into charter school profits. . .'To me, vouchers are inherently undemocratic because they allow public dollars to be used in ways and in settings where the public has little or no oversight', Strickland said.

Those who are paying tax dollars have no ability to vote for a Board of Education or to make determinations regarding curriculum, or discipline or admission policies or a whole range of things,' he said. . .

The governor also said he questions the expense because he's seen little evidence that voucher students do better. . ."

'I expect a push back. We're going to push back as well,' he said. . ." (END QUOTE).

The quotes that I left out referred to Gov. Strickland's speech of 3-days earlier. You probably already know it's contents. Also, there was mention of his stand of capital punishment that was not germane to my -- and perhaps yours as well -- major interest: The total elimination of for-profit charter schools, tax paid home schooling, and all the other failed gimmicks to take tax funds away from public education PreK-16. This is my opinion. Dr. K. Fluke, SummitCRTA Leg. Chair, told me of this Canton Repository article. [View article here]

RHJones, CORE & SummitCRTA Leg. CMTE Mem.