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Keep public funds in public schools

DEAR EDITOR:

Parents rightfully lament costs of classroom supplies, educational fees and extracurricular charges.

But does the public understand that local and state tax dollars designated for our public schools are siphoned off to support charter schools? And if the secretary of education is successful, our taxes also will support parochial schools and vouchers for all.

For 25 years charter schools have shown an abysmal academic performance, many closed by the state only to reopen under another name. The body of research overwhelmingly shows that public schools outperform charter schools; yet, Ohio taxpayers are billed nearly $250 million annually for this inferior educational option in the name of school reform or school choice. The shifting of funds from public education to sustain charter schools leaves public schools with little choice but to impose fees, cut programs, personnel and as a last resort, place levies on the ballot.

Charter schools, with permission from state legislators that receive massive campaign contributions from them, are allowed to operate with no fiscal oversight, unlicensed teachers and are accountable to only the CEO, whose mission is profit-driven. Public education operates under strict oversight, with highly qualified licensed teachers, answers to communities through elected school boards whose mission is to produce a well-educated citizenry to perpetuate a thriving democracy.

It is time to properly fund the public schools that developed our astronauts, engineers, doctors, teachers, inventors and all those who contributed and continue to make our country great. The Ohio Supreme Court ruled in 1997 that state funding for public schools was grossly deficient, hence unconstitutional. Gov. Ted Strickland increased the education budget to comply, but this was reversed by Gov. John Kasich. The state legislature still has not remedied this problem leaving public schools under-funded.

The state has exacerbated the funding problem by allowing charter schools to operate using funds earmarked for public schools. The state funding formula allocates more money for students who attend charters than public schools. Students leaving public school take more funds with them than is provided for students in public school.

Citizens always have the option of sending their children to private, charter or parochial schools, but never at taxpayer expense. This needs to stop. We need to invest in our neighborhood public schools that provide all services to all students. Taxpayers cannot afford to fund two school systems stripping resources from the vast majority of our students.

Citizens must contact elected officials to demand that public education be funded according to the Supreme Court ruling. Private schools should be private without public funds. Keep this in mind when voting.

SUSAN OLIVE, Ed.D.

Niles

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