- We’ll start today with an item that is only tangentially related to education. Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman announced yesterday that he would not seek a fifth term as mayor. He’s already the longest-serving mayor in Columbus’ history and has a lot to show for his dedication to the city. But his leadership in efforts to help improve education in Columbus – from a citywide afterschool program to the Columbus Education Commission to the visionary (but ultimately doomed) levy that tried to bring reform to the city schools – will be sorely missed. No one on the short list of contenders for the office so far has much cred when it comes to education. Bon chance, Mr. Mayor, wherever you’re off to. (Columbus Dispatch)
- And on to real education news with a bang. There is a possible double-strike whammy looming in Parma at the moment. Both the teachers union and the support-staff union have been negotiating with the district on new contracts (the former for over 18 months!), but both unions have recently rejected offers rather soundly. Words like “last” and “best” are being bandied about, but let’s hope that cooler heads prevail and both strikes can be averted. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
- Staying in Cleveland for a moment, PD editors opine (again) today on the testing-time limit bill which passed the Ohio House last week. They urge caution, deliberation, and outright blockage of the current bill by either the Senate or the governor. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
- Dilemma, dilemma. What is an ardent charter basher to do when there’s nothing to bash? Here’s a story about a charter school in Akron that somehow manages to tick every box in the “wow” column: true community location, special-needs focus, strong arts component, strong tech component, on-target for enrollment, leader with solid school-district cred, fiscally sound, sponsored by the state, managed by a local non-profit. Whew. So what does the ABJ do when faced with the unbashable? Write a headline about an innocuous Thanksgiving meal and close with a shout-out to “divine intervention”. Amen! (Akron Beacon Journal)
