Ohio BATs Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wooster, Ohio, August 6, 2015
Contact
Karen Linch
2605 Shreve Road
Wooster, Ohio 44691
330.464.9827
Many constituents across Ohio commend the seven Ohio State Board of Education members for their letter to State Superintendent Richard Ross on August 3, 2015. The Board’s letter states, “Our collective failure to properly oversee the administration and employees of ODE allowed the improper ratings of charter school sponsors.”
“The firm or individuals selected must be experienced in conducting similar investigations, have no vested interest in the outcome, and reflect the bipartisan nature of our board. The investigation should have a deadline and all appropriate information gathered should be available to the public as soon as possible . . .”
Grassroots organizations representing people from all walks of life across Ohio are becoming increasingly alarmed that charter school mismanagement; the defunding of public schools; fast-tracking laws aimed to dismantle public education; and the lack of state transparency are not supporting our boys and girls and are vastly political.
Mary Reed, a first grade Dayton teacher, says, “Ohio BATs support the Ohio Board of Education’s call for an investigation of the administration, record keeping and evaluation of testing in Ohio’s online schools. If there is not evidence of wrongdoing, Dr. Ross will be vindicated. If there is evidence of wrongdoing, the people of Ohio deserve to obtain justice.”
“Children are not partisan. The ODE and BOE should make it a goal to cross all political lines and work together to put a hedge of protection around the children in their care while assuring taxpayers’ dollars are used appropriately and transparently. History will judge who was and who was not protecting students during this new era of testing and data mess,” states 5th-grade teacher Dawn Neely-Randall.
Jeanne Melvin adds, “What harm could there be in an inquiry that has the capability of restoring the public’s confidence in the scandal-ridden Ohio Department of Education?”
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