Columbus teachers are fighting back!

Columbus Dispatch, October 2, 2007

Teachers union points IRS at conservatives

Columbus teachers are fighting back against Republican mayoral candidate William M. Todd, and this time they're getting the IRS involved.

The Columbus Education Association has asked the IRS to review the tax-exempt status of the conservative Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions, alleging that the local free market think tank broke the law with a "clear pattern of political campaign coordination" before Todd sued Columbus City Schools last month.

Todd filed a lawsuit Sept. 17 claiming that the district violates children's rights by spending thousands of dollars more per-student at some of its schools. He based the suit on a Buckeye Institute report released three days later.

The teachers union contends Todd's campaign and the think tank shared information and documents before and after that week.

Buckeye Institute President David Hansen said in a statement today that his organization "engages" all sorts of policymakers but doesn't support political parties or candidates.

"The Buckeye Institute will not be intimidated by union bullies who seek to silence opposing points of view," he said.