OHIO MAGA PUBLIC SCHOOL POWER GRAB HEADED FOR END GAME
In the state of Ohio, the Republican party has launched a power grab over public education. Yes, you heard it right, they want to strip the State Board of Education of nearly all of its authority and place it in a new cabinet-level position under the governor. And why, you may ask? Well, because Democrats and teachers' unions won all three open seats on the board in the general election. Talk about sore losers!
But they're not alone in this power grab. The usual MAGA suspects have come out in full force to support this move. The Club for Growth, Center for Christian Virtue, American Federation for Children, Foundation for Excellence in Education, Walton Family Foundation, Thomas B. Fordham Institute, Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools, EdChoice Ohio, Ohio Catholic Conference, and Buckeye Institute are all behind this move. It's like a who's who of people who don't care about public education.
But what does this mean for public education in Ohio? Well, according to a New Republic article, it means devastation. The Republicans have been diverting funds to charter schools, voucher programs, and tax credits that benefit wealthy donors and private schools. And Ohio is a prime example of how this strategy has led to lower state education rankings, corruption scandals, and reduced accountability.
So what are the Republicans' views on education? According to a website that summarizes Republican views on various issues, they believe in limiting the federal government in education and giving more power to state and local authorities. They support school choice, merit pay for teachers, and standardized testing. Basically, they want to privatize education and turn it into a profit-making machine.
But not everyone is on board with this plan. Some of the detractors of public education in Ohio are the Ohio GOP legislature, Steve Dackin (the former state superintendent of public instruction who resigned after two weeks on the job amid ethics concerns), and school choice advocates. These groups argue that public education is a common good and should be funded and supported by the government.
On the other hand, some of the supporters of the GOP takeover of public education in Ohio are Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman, State Sen. Bill Reineke, and school choice advocates. They argue that the restructuring of the education system will create more accountability and efficiency in education policy and align it with workforce development.
But who are these school choice advocates? Well, they're groups or individuals who support vouchers, charter schools, tax credits and other alternatives to public education. They argue that these options provide more choice, competition and accountability in education. However, critics say that they divert funds from public education, lack transparency and oversight, and undermine public education as a common good.
So who's funding these school choice advocates? The Thomas B. Fordham Institute, Walton Family Foundation, Club for Growth, Children's Scholarship Fund, American Federation for Children, Foundation for Excellence in Education, and Buckeye Institute are just a few of the major foundations, groups, individuals and organizations that are supporting the GOP takeover of public education in Ohio.
But not everyone is buying into their rhetoric. The Ohio School Boards Association (OSBA), Community Relations - Advocacy program offered by OSBA, Public Education Partners are all advocating for public education in Ohio. They support adequate and equitable funding for public schools, oppose vouchers and charter schools that divert funds from public education, and promote transparency and accountability in education policy.
So what can we do to stop this power grab? Well, we can start by speaking out against it. We can contact our elected officials and let them know that we support public education and oppose any attempts to privatize it. We can also support organizations like OSBA and Public Education Partners that are fighting to protect public education in Ohio.
In conclusion, the Republicans in Ohio are trying to strip public education of its authority and turn it into a profit-making machine. But we can fight back against this power grab by speaking out and supporting organizations that are advocating for public education. After all, as they say, knowledge is power.
FOR SOME OF THE BEST REPORTING ON THE CRISIS IN OHIO PUBLIC EDUCATION FOLLOW JAN RESSEGER BLOG: jan resseger | "That all citizens will be given an equal start through a sound education is one of the most basic, promised rights of our democracy. https://janresseger.wordpress.com/
THE DEFT DIVE
Some information on public education in Ohio and the Republican approach. Here are some of the main points:
- - **Ohio GOP launches a power grab over public education**: According to an analysis by WVXU, the Republican-controlled Ohio Senate has introduced a bill that would strip the state board of education of nearly all of its authority and place it in a new cabinet-level position under the governor. The bill was motivated by the fact that Democrats and teachers' unions won all three open seats on the board in the general election. The bill would also remove the board's oversight on contentious issues like critical race theory and transgender sports¹.
- - **Ohio Republican lawmakers introduce bill to ban divisive concepts from public schools**: Reps. Mike Loychik and Jean Schmidt have proposed a bill that aims to ban curriculum that promotes divisive or racist concepts in public schools, such as critical race theory, intersectionality, diversity, equity, and inclusion learning outcomes, and sexual orientation and gender identity for students in kindergarten through third grade. The bill's supporters say it promotes free and fair discussion, while its opponents say it is a disingenuous attack on educators and public schools².
- - **The Republican plan to devastate public education in America**: A New Republic article argues that Republicans across the country have been undermining public education by diverting funds to charter schools, voucher programs, and tax credits that benefit wealthy donors and private schools. The article cites Ohio as an example of how this strategy has led to lower state education rankings, corruption scandals, and reduced accountability³.
- - **Republican views on education**: According to a website that summarizes Republican views on various issues, Republicans believe in a restructuring of higher education that would leave more students equipped for their desired fields and less working minimum wage jobs. They also believe in limiting the federal government in education and giving more power to state and local authorities. They support school choice, merit pay for teachers, and standardized testing⁴.
Bing, 7/13/2023
(1) Analysis: Ohio GOP launches a power grab over public education ... - WVXU. https://www.wvxu.org/politics/2022-11-18/analysis-ohio-gop-legislature-power-grab-control-public-education.
(2) Ohio Republican lawmakers introduce bill to ban divisive concepts from .... https://news.ballotpedia.org/2022/05/02/ohio-republican-lawmakers-introduce-bill-to-ban-divisive-concepts-from-public-schools/.
(3) The Republican Plan To Devastate Public Education in America. https://newrepublic.com/article/167375/republican-plan-devastate-public-education-america.
(4) Republican Views on Education | Republican Views. https://www.republicanviews.org/republican-views-on-education/.
Some of the detractors of public education in Ohio are:
- - **Ohio GOP legislature**: According to an analysis by WVXU, the Republican-controlled Ohio Senate has introduced a bill that would strip the state board of education of nearly all of its authority and place it in a new cabinet-level position under the governor. The bill was motivated by the fact that Democrats and teachers' unions won all three open seats on the board in the general election. The bill would also remove the board's oversight on contentious issues like critical race theory and transgender sports¹.
- - **Steve Dackin**: He was the former state superintendent of public instruction who resigned after two weeks on the job amid ethics concerns. He had led the search for the state superintendent job as a state board member, then resigned from the board and applied for the job himself. He had also attended closed-door meetings about the job and potentially seen his competitors' applications. The Ohio Ethics Commission said it was likely to open an inquiry into his actions².
- - **School choice advocates**: These are groups or individuals who support vouchers, charter schools, tax credits and other alternatives to public education. They argue that these options provide more choice, competition and accountability in education. However, critics say that they divert funds from public education, lack transparency and oversight, and undermine public education as a common good³⁴.
Bing, 7/13/2023
(1) Analysis: Ohio GOP launches a power grab over public education ... - WVXU. https://www.wvxu.org/politics/2022-11-18/analysis-ohio-gop-legislature-power-grab-control-public-education.
(2) Ohio will keep looking for a leader of K-12 public education after .... https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/2022/06/14/ohio-search-new-education-leader-after-surprise-resignation/7620333001/.
(3) Public Schools | Ohio Department of Education. https://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Ohio-Education-Options/Public-Schools.
(4) Education Department - Ohio.gov. https://ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/site/government/state-agencies/department-of-education.
Some of the supporters of the GOP takeover of public education in Ohio are:
- - **Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman**: He is the leader of the Ohio Senate and the sponsor of Senate Bill 178, which would strip the state board of education of nearly all of its authority and place it in a new cabinet-level position under the governor. He said the bill would create more accountability and efficiency in education policy and align it with workforce development¹.
- - **State Sen. Bill Reineke**: He is the co-sponsor of Senate Bill 178 and a former state board of education member. He said the bill would modernize and streamline the education system and make it more responsive to the needs of students and employers¹³.
- - **School choice advocates**: These are groups or individuals who support vouchers, charter schools, tax credits and other alternatives to public education. They argue that these options provide more choice, competition and accountability in education. They may see the GOP takeover of public education as a way to advance their agenda and weaken the influence of public school supporters².
Bing, 7/13/2023
(1) Analysis: Ohio GOP launches a power grab over public education ... - WVXU. https://www.wvxu.org/politics/2022-11-18/analysis-ohio-gop-legislature-power-grab-control-public-education.
(2) SB 1 - HONESTY FOR OHIO EDUCATION. https://www.honestyforohioeducation.org/sb-1.html.
(3) Tell Legislators to Stop the State Takeover of Ohio Public Education .... https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-legislators-to-stop-the-state-takeover-of-ohio-public-education/.
Some of the school choice advocates, major foundations, groups, individuals and organizations that are supporting the GOP takeover of public education in Ohio are:
- - **Club for Growth**: This is a conservative group that supports pro-growth policies and candidates. It has been running ads against Ohio House Speaker Charles McCall, who opposes the bill that would strip the state board of education of its authority and place it under the governor. The group accuses McCall of "silencing parents" and supports school choice as a way to empower families and improve education¹.
- - **Center for Christian Virtue**: This is a Christian organization that promotes biblical values and policies in Ohio. It has praised the bill as a great way to expand educational opportunities in Ohio and supports school choice as a way to allow parents to choose the best education for their children according to their faith and values².
- - **Gov. Mike DeWine**: He is the Republican governor of Ohio who backs the bill that would restructure the education system and make it a cabinet-level agency under his control. He has said that the bill would create more accountability and efficiency in education policy and align it with workforce development³.
Bing, 7/13/2023
(1) Why School Choice is Roiling the GOP - U.S. News & World Report. https://www.usnews.com/news/national-news/articles/2022-03-07/why-school-choice-is-suddenly-roiling-the-republican-party.
(2) Ohio Passes School Choice, Independence From District School Monopoly. https://www.dailysignal.com/2023/07/05/ohioans-declare-independence-district-school-monopoly/.
(3) Ohio GOP wants every K-12 student to be eligible for a school voucher. https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/2021/05/06/ohio-house-republicans-want-universal-eligibility-school-vouchers/7154944002/.
Some of the organizations that support vouchers in Ohio are:
- - **School Choice Ohio**: This is a nonprofit organization that advocates for school choice policies and programs in Ohio. It provides information and resources to parents and students about the different education options available to them, including vouchers, charter schools, online schools, homeschooling, and more. It also supports legislation that expands school choice and empowers families¹.
- - **Buckeye Institute**: This is a conservative think tank that promotes free-market solutions and limited government in Ohio. It supports school choice as a way to improve educational outcomes, foster competition and innovation, and respect parental rights. It conducts research and analysis on various school choice policies and programs, such as vouchers, tax credits, education savings accounts, and more².
- - **Ohio Catholic Conference**: This is the official representative of the Catholic Church in public affairs in Ohio. It supports school choice as a way to uphold the dignity of the human person, promote the common good, and protect religious freedom. It advocates for policies that support Catholic schools and families, such as vouchers, tax credits, scholarships, and more³.
Bing, 7/13/2023
(1) Emergency Housing Vouchers Coming to Ohio – COHHIO. https://cohhio.org/emergency-housing-vouchers-in-arpa/.
(2) Assistance Programs - Ohio.gov. https://ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/site/residents/topic-hubs/home-and-community/assistance-programs.
(3) 7 Places to get Free Gas Cards - Free Financial Help. https://freefinancialhelp.net/free-gas-cards-for-low-income/.
(4) COHHIO – Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio. https://cohhio.org/.
Some of the organizations that support charter schools and private schools in Ohio are:
- - **Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools (OAPCS)**: This is a nonprofit organization that engages and serves Ohio’s public charter schools and the diverse students they represent by fostering or delivering excellence in governance, steadfast advocacy, superior services, relevant professional development and customized training. It provides information, resources, and support to charter schools, parents, and students. It also advocates for policies that promote charter school quality and growth¹.
- - **EdChoice Ohio**: This is a nonprofit organization that advocates for school choice policies and programs in Ohio. It provides information and resources to parents and students about the different education options available to them, including vouchers, tax credits, charter schools, online schools, homeschooling, and more. It also supports legislation that expands school choice and empowers families².
- - **Ohio Catholic Conference**: This is the official representative of the Catholic Church in public affairs in Ohio. It supports school choice as a way to uphold the dignity of the human person, promote the common good, and protect religious freedom. It advocates for policies that support Catholic schools and families, such as vouchers, tax credits, scholarships, and more³.
Bing, 7/13/2023
(1) oapcs.org. https://oapcs.org/.
(2) Ohio - EdChoice. https://www.edchoice.org/school-choice/state/ohio/.
(3) Ohio can't afford to prioritize private and charter schools over fully .... https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2023/02/10/ohio-cant-afford-to-prioritize-private-and-charter-schools-over-fully-funded-public-schools/.
(4) Private (Nonpublic) Schools – School Choice Ohio. https://scohio.org/education-options/private-schools/.
Some of the funders of school choice in Ohio are:
- - **Thomas B. Fordham Institute**: This is a conservative think tank and charter school sponsor that supports school choice policies and programs in Ohio. It conducts research and analysis on various school choice issues, such as vouchers, charter schools, accountability, and quality. It also advocates for policies that promote school choice and foster competition and innovation in education¹.
- - **Walton Family Foundation**: This is a philanthropic organization that supports school choice initiatives across the country, including in Ohio. It provides grants to various organizations that advocate for or operate school choice programs, such as vouchers, charter schools, tax credits, and education savings accounts. It also supports research and evaluation on the impact of school choice on student outcomes².
- - **Club for Growth**: This is a conservative group that supports pro-growth policies and candidates. It has been running ads against Ohio House Speaker Charles McCall, who opposes the bill that would strip the state board of education of its authority and place it under the governor. The group accuses McCall of "silencing parents" and supports school choice as a way to empower families and improve education³.
Bing, 7/13/2023
(1) Proposals would bring dramatic change to Ohio’s voucher program. https://apnews.com/article/ohio-voucher-school-choice-funding-0f5304861d4082e572db49c4981146b1.
(2) About Us – School Choice Ohio. https://scohio.org/about/.
(3) School Choice Ohio. https://scohio.org/.
(4) Scholarship Programs (Vouchers) – School Choice Ohio. https://scohio.org/education-options/scholarship-programs/.
(5) Bill would allow all Ohio kids to attend private schools using state .... https://www.statenews.org/government-politics/2021-10-07/new-bill-would-allow-all-k-12-ohio-kids-to-attend-private-schools-using-state-dollars.
Some of the other funders of school choice in Ohio are:
- - **Children's Scholarship Fund**: This is a national nonprofit organization that provides scholarships to low-income families to send their children to private schools of their choice. It partners with local organizations, such as the Northwest Ohio Scholarship Fund, to administer the scholarships and raise funds from donors¹.
- - **American Federation for Children**: This is a national advocacy organization that promotes school choice policies and programs across the country, including in Ohio. It supports candidates who are favorable to school choice, conducts public awareness campaigns, and provides information and resources to parents and students².
- - **Foundation for Excellence in Education**: This is a national nonprofit organization that supports education reform policies and initiatives, such as school choice, accountability, digital learning, and more. It provides research, analysis, advocacy, and technical assistance to policymakers and stakeholders in various states, including Ohio³.
Bing, 7/13/2023
(1) About Us – School Choice Ohio. https://scohio.org/about/.
(2) Ohio - EdChoice. https://www.edchoice.org/school-choice/state/ohio/.
(3) The States Ranked by Spending on School Choice Programs, 2022 Edition. https://www.edchoice.org/engage/the-states-ranked-by-spending-on-school-choice-programs-2022-edition/.
(4) School Choice Ohio | Find Grantmakers & Nonprofit Funders | Foundation .... https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile/?collection=grantmakers&key=9300013.
Some of the supporters of public education in Ohio are:
- - **Ohio School Boards Association (OSBA)**: This is an organization that engages and serves Ohio’s public school board members and the diverse districts they represent by fostering or delivering excellence in governance, steadfast advocacy, superior services, relevant professional development and customized training. OSBA has a legislative platform that states its positions on various issues facing public education and advocates for them with policymakers and the public¹.
- - **Community Relations - Advocacy**: This is a program offered by OSBA that helps board members become effective advocates for public education by providing them with tools, resources and training. The program emphasizes the link between quality public education and the economic and social health of a community and the impact of legislative mandates on student achievement².
- - **Public Education Partners**: This is a group of educators, parents and other interested parties advocating for public education in Ohio. The group supports adequate and equitable funding for public schools, opposes vouchers and charter schools that divert funds from public education, and promotes transparency and accountability in education policy. The group is also involved in litigation against the state over the legality of voucher programs³⁴.
Bing, 7/13/2023
(1) Legislative Platform | Ohio School Boards Association. https://www.ohioschoolboards.org/legislative-platform.
(2) Community Relations - Advocacy | Ohio School Boards Association. https://www.ohioschoolboards.org/community-relations-advocacy.
(3) Ohio public schools sue, challenge legality of voucher programs. https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/2022/01/04/ohio-public-schools-sue-challenge-legality-voucher-programs/9080263002/.
(4) Opinion: What is Senate Bill 11. What will it do to public schools?. https://www.dispatch.com/story/opinion/columns/guest/2023/03/22/opinion-ohio-school-vouchers-what-is-senate-bill-11-what-will-it-do-to-public-schools-edchoice/69964355007/.
