public schools

February 21, 2015April 18, 2020

Hancock County Commissioners Delay Payment To Play Political Game On Recovery House Plan

Hancock County Commissioner Mark D Gazarek

Somethings never seem to change in my hometown of Findlay, Ohio. The city and county is red-red Republican and irrational politics even seep into addiction recovery services. It caused the county commissioners to delay paying a contract so they could interfere in a local dust up over a recovery house location. They claimed the delay was not political but then explained why it was. Meanwhile people in real need of help get ignored.

Back in early January, there was an “uproar” when some Findlay citizens found out that the Hancock County Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) bought a house in a “affluent” section of Findlay near an elementary school, a parochial school, and the Findlay Country Club.

March 11, 2014April 18, 2020

My Free School Lunch Horror Story

After reading the story about Rep. Paul Ryan’s false ‘no free school lunch’ story he told at CPAC and the general feeling among conservatives that kids need to work for their free lunches, I wanted to tell my free school lunch horror story. Yes, when I was a kid I had free school lunches and it made me feel so ashamed, but not for the reason you might think.

While growing up my family was on and off public assistance. It was during the 70s and early 80s. Being on public assistance made me eligible for a free lunch at school. It usually consisted of a punch card just like the ones used by kids whose families paid for lunch in advance so unless I told someone, no one would know my card was free to me. That isn’t my horror story.

August 27, 2013April 18, 2020

Privatizing Public Schools Isn’t How To Solve Education Problem

screencap from Reimagine Columbus Education TV ad

Here in Columbus, there is a major push to pass a new school levy. That isn’t unusual especially in Ohio where the Republicans have taken million of dollars away from education, over the past few years, in order to give tax breaks to their rich friends. What is different this time is the effort is really to privatize the Columbus School District so the corporate interests can get millions of dollars the schools still get. Privatizing public schools doesn’t make it better. Instead we give up control and our tax dollars for the equivalent of a WalMart for education.

There is a TV ad running with Columbus Mayor Coleman touting the levy. Here are the bullet points given in the ad:

June 13, 2013April 18, 2020

Florida School District Sued For Treating Atheist Group Differently Than Christian Group

created image showing The Wall Between Church and State

Some Christians and right wingers cry and whine about their freedom of religion being suppressed when their Christian privilege is called out or shut down. But time and again, when the roles are reversed, those same Christians see no problem in suppressing points of view that contradict their beliefs. Orange County School Board in Florida allowed a Christian group to distribute literature, including the Holy Bible, in their high schools. When an atheist group wanted to do the same the school district and the schools did everything they could to sabotage the effort. The Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF) is suing the school district in Federal court.

Hemant Mehta at Friendly Atheist has the details:

May 22, 2013April 18, 2020

Ohio Law Would Force Public Schools To Share Levy Money With Charter Schools

photo of Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman

Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman (D) supports taking money from public schools

This was a very scary read in the Columbus Dispatch. It seems a bill in the Ohio legislature, if passed, would require the Columbus City School District to share future levy funds with charter schools in the city. Some Democrats including Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman support the slap to Unions and voters. He and other supporters claim that the measure would improve education in the city but current science doesn’t support that view. The bill is another attempt to corporatize education and give a big pay day to Charter school operators.