RH Jones: An invitation to support HB 315

From RH Jones, September 28, 2007
Subject: An invitation to support HB 315

To all:

At the University of Akron, fewer students are now choosing to become educators says K. Fluke, PhD. Dr. Fluke is in the position to know, as he sets on the board of the U of A Alumni association. He reports that students are usually choosing business instead.

One wonders the cause of this drop? Will there someday be public schools and not enough teachers to teach in them? The reasons are all familiar to the average person. The most recent being that in today’s Beacon where three separate violent acts on school campuses was reported. One on page B3 mentions: “Buckeye teacher hit; student charged

A 15-year-old Buckeye High School student remained in custody Thursday following an assault on his English teacher that sent her to the hospital with a slight concussion….” On page A3: Canton, PA.

5 students arrested

Five high school students were arrested after threats of violence shut down their school district for most of the week…” On page A5: “…New York: A police cadet credited with helping capture a masked student armed with a loaded rifle at St. John’s University…”

And, recently, reported by CORE members John Curry and Kathie Bracy, we have a State Superintendent here in Ohio who is further draining public school funds to favor entrepreneurial for-profit charter schools. Along with this type of tax drain away from public school districts and, after over 12 years of neglect by the state government, the school districts have tightened funding to the point that they are having difficulty meeting the higher under funded standards being set by neo-conservative political leaders.

Even with the hurtful current events mentioned above happening, some members of the School Boards Association and many local school board members incredulously do not support the modest 2.5% increase in the employer contribution earmarked for the (STRS) State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio Health Care Fund! Realistically speaking, these professional public servants deserve health care that is proper and adequate - now. House Bill 315 fulfills this quite obvious need and has been harmoniously supported by both major political parties. Therefore, any opposition would be reasonably regarded as negative to the harmony of both parties; and, consequently, negative to the harmony of those who support the two.

It has been over 20-years since the last modest increase in the employer (School District) contribution, hence HB 315 is long overdue. Regardless of a tight public school funding,

Do the right thing and support it. As a voter and as a retired STRS Ohio annuitant, this is my strong conviction.

Robert Hudson Jones, B.S.E. & M.S.E. plus 27 graduate hours