Ohio BATs Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wooster, Ohio, August 6, 2015

Contact

Karen Linch

2605 Shreve Road

Wooster, Ohio 44691

330.464.9827

OhioBATs@gmail.com

 

 

 13 Grassroots Organizations Concur with Ohio Board of Education Board Members To Investigate Charter School Data-Scrubbing

 

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.” 

 As a governing body, they feel a responsibility to their constituents.  They are simply asking for an investigation. 

“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 . . .”

 In response to the Board’s letter, Governor Kasich claims, “It’s just a political thing.” 

 Yes.  Absolutely.  It is a political thing. 

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.

 

Jeanne Melvin, retired 36-year public school teacher, mother, grandmother, and President of Public Education Partners states, "Many have called for the resignation of Ohio’s superintendent of public schools after a top ODE employee broke state law by altering a scoring system to favor charter schools. The state BOE is giving Dr. Ross the benefit of the doubt by simply requesting for an outside investigation." 

 

Paula Garfield, a retired Special Education teacher of 32 years put it this way:  “Data-scrubbing is data-scrubbing, whether you are a charter school or public school. The Ohio State Board of Education and State Superintendent Richard Ross need to be held accountable. Superintendent Dr. Gene Harris and several administrators of Columbus City Schools were held accountable for data-scrubbing.”

 

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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