Ohio’s Aggressive School Vouchers Set to Cripple Even High-Scoring Public Schools
In the December 30, 2019, Troy Daily News (Ohio), retired superintendent Tom Dunn published a scathing review of the ills of education reform mandates, concluding with Ohio’s private school voucher program, EdChoice, which has twisted “underperforming” to include the highest-graded public schools in the state. Ohio’s school voucher program is on the path to seriously damage public school funding if not accorded a separate funding stream.
From Tom Dunn (links added):
Lies, Lies, and More Lies
As a former school superintendent, one of my most important, difficult, and frustrating responsibilities was trying to stay abreast of state and federal laws governing education. It was during this time that I had my eyes opened to how politics at the state and federal level really works. Suffice it to say that what I learned was disturbing.First of all, to this day, the sheer number of proposed and/or passed bills makes the task of staying current nearly impossible. I imagine this is a political strategy meant to keep people as confused and overwhelmed as possible. The number of laws that made no sense and were sold to the public with misinformation and lies was staggering.I felt perpetually conflicted about being forced to implement mandates that were, frankly, bad for kids. The irony is how often the very politicians who denounce bullying use their power to beat adults into submission with their ill-conceived laws. In education, they do this through threats of financial penalty against districts that dare disobey them, by threatening the professional licensure of educators who don’t do as they are told, and/or through character assassination of those who dare question them.For at least three decades, politicians have claimed their goal has been to close the achievement gap between children who are successful in school CONTINUE READING:Ohio’s Aggressive School Vouchers Set to Cripple Even High-Scoring Public Schools | deutsch29
