Letter to the Findlay Courier: Cliff Hite was a member of the FEA

http://www.thecourier.com/opinion/2011/Mar/03/ar_let_030311.asp?d=030311,2011,Mar,03&c=let

Findlay Courier, March 3, 2011

SEN. HITE HAS BETRAYED HER

I am ashamed and embarrassed by the support that I have given to Sen. Cliff Hite in the past. A large part of Mr. Hite's campaign exploited the fact that he was a former teacher.

He even has several quotes on his website about the importance of educators. One such quote is: "No calling in our society is more demanding than teaching; no calling in our society is more selfless than teaching; and no calling is more central to the vitality of a democracy than teaching." -- Roger Mudd.

Mr. Hite has demonstrated, with his vote favoring Senate Bill 5, that he no longer believes this. In three short months, he has come to the conclusion that teachers are overpaid, underworked, and by no means vital to democracy.

I have personally contacted Mr. Hite's office on numerous occasions, leaving messages asking him to call me and explain his viewpoint on this issue. He does not even have the courage to face the educators, voters, and supporters that he has betrayed.

Mr. Hite had no problem with the collective bargaining process when he was on the other side of the table. He was a member of the Findlay Education Association, which is not required when hired as a teacher in this district.

I wonder what career path Mr. Hite will travel when he is not re-elected, and he has burned enough bridges that there is a good possibility he won't be. I'm guessing after the passage of SB 5, Mr. Hite, like many other Ohioans, will not want to be a teacher!

Angela Dittman
Arlington