- Fordham’s own Aaron Churchill has some choice words to say while refuting critics of Ohio’s voucher programs in this op-ed published yesterday. One of those words is “nonsense”, so you know it’s going to be a good read (Vindy.com, 4/9/23) While state Senator Sandra O’Brien also opines on the topic of school choice in the Dispatch today, the centerpiece of her argument is a long bullet point list of how well-funded Ohio’s traditional district schools are and will remain, even if her bill creating universal choice passes. (Columbus Dispatch, 4/10/23)
- Speaking of Ohio’s traditional school districts, here’s an unfortunate look at Toledo City Schools’ summer programming plans. I say “unfortunate” because this year’s effort is described as “back to basics”, while last year’s effort is described as “a fun, camp-like atmosphere” that “just happen[s] to be educational”. And, as you might imagine, those “basics” are a punitive-sounding slog with no time for anything enriching and a test at the end which is characterized as make-or-break for the kids. Seriously, y’all? The poor reading achievement scores quoted here do sound fairly dire and in need of important work, but that work is yours to do, adults. All of this is on you. If anyone is being “punished” with summer school, it’s you. The fact that you do not get to have happy summer fun time with carnivals and field trips is not only due to your inability to get the job done before summer but also your inability to think about out-of-school time remediation in any other way but punitively. This has got to stop, you guys. Easiest way for you to do that? Teach ‘em right the first time. Lordy! (Toledo Blade, 4/7/23)
- Staying in Toledo City Schools to end the day, I really want to like this story—about a budding partnership between the district and Peterbilt Motors to create internships at the company for Toledo students—but deep previous experience prevents me. It starts out pretty good, with a group of students touring the company’s facility, getting excited about the work being done, and hearing about how great it would be if young folks could get jobs here before they even graduate. But it devolves pretty quickly to a bunch of “ifs”, a handful of “maybes”, and one incredibly mealy “students would first need to work with their school instructors to create a training plan for what they need to learn to acquire an internship”. Thus, the whole thing ends up sounding like a PR stunt with minimal danger of actual kids being able to do actual interning. Which resembles a lot of the other “job pathway” lip service we have seen and heard from other districts across the state over the years. (Toledo Blade, 4/9/23)
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