Gov. Strickland's education reform plan and comments from CORE members

From Molly Janczyk, February 12, 2008
Subject: RE: Strickland's state school board plan...from "unwieldly" to a weiner and definitely not a winner!

Governor: I trust you to be interested in Education wanting to provide more oversight but I agree, I do not trust a Taft type Governor who may follow you with this oversight. There must be a way to achieve your goal with a more secure method protecting us from future Governors.

Sincerely,

Molly Janczyk

From RH Jones, February 12, 2008
Subject: Fw: Strickland's state school board plan...from "unwieldly" to a weiner and definitely not a winner!

Dear Governor Strickland:

I highly approve of John Curry's message. In future elections, what happens to Ohio's public school districts if we get an ultra conservative politician in the office of governor that wants to privatize Ohio's public schools? Our Ohio STRS will be destroyed. Please change your mind. The public needs control of education through an elected Ohio Board of Education. This is my personal opinion.

Thanks, in advance, for your reconsideration of this.

Robert Hudson Jones, a retired STRS member, a Registered Democrat & a member

From John Curry, February 12, 2008
Subject: Strickland's state school board plan...from "unwieldly" to a wiener and definitely not a winner!

Dear Governor,

Your distaste of vouchers and charter schools are appreciated by this retired public educator but.... when it comes to your desire to take an institution and relegate it to an advisory capacity while appointing an educational czar who can work behind closed doors to make critical educational decisions without being accountable to the public in the form of a board of education.......you are acting like a wiener!

Remember....we Ohioans have already suffered enough with the last frankfurter who occupied the Governor's residence, a governor who led public education down the path of poverty and who deservedly earned an Ohio ethics conviction. What kind of hot dog will be appointed by your successor when he or she takes your place? One who will serve-up footlongs with lots of vouchers and charters as tasty condiments as their menu will allow nothing else? Then, public education may very well be right back to "square one" with an appointment that Oscar Meyer wouldn't even be proud of! Come on...you can do better than that! If you don't like some of the weenies that are currently on the state school board then....use your powers to replace the ones that are appointed! The rest of the board-elected hot dogs can be barbecued in public and by the public.... and not behind closed doors!

John

Article published February 12, 2008 Toledo Blade
Strickland defends his education reform plan
ASSOCIATED PRESS

COLUMBUS - Gov. Ted Strickland yesterday defended his plan to take greater control of the state's schools, despite threats that state Board of Education members planned to condemn it a day later. Mr. Strickland said he wanted to have power to match his responsibility. State board members said the governor was undercutting the state constitution and neutralizing their authority.

"If I'm the governor and I'm responsible for education, I should have greater ability to affect what happens with education," Mr. Strickland said.

"The board would serve an advisory role, or other function or responsibility. I'm not saying the board would not have an important role to play," he said.

The board, however, would have only as much power as allowed by Mr. Strickland or the governor-appointed director of education called for in his proposal. The role of the board and the state superintendent would be determined by the director.

If the department becomes part of the governor's Cabinet, critics of the proposal fear, it could conduct much of its business behind closed doors.

Mr. Strickland called the department "unwieldy" during last week's State of the State speech and proposed taking control from the board. The governor insisted he didn't intend to marginalize the body but said he and future governors should have a stronger hand in resolving the school funding question.