- Editorial content looms large in today’s edition. First up, Fordham’s own Jessica Poiner with a letter to the editor of the Dispatch published on Saturday in response to their recent editorial in support of public records access for organizations seeking to inform the public about voucher options. (Columbus Dispatch)
- The Dispatch’s Saturday letters pages are typically extensive and often include the higher-profile letters they have received during the week. Along with Jessica’s, there was a letter from the superintendent of Springfield City Schools, also responding to that pesky editorial. (Columbus Dispatch)
- Finally in the realm of the flagged editorial content, Dispatch editors weighed in on the merits of Reynoldsburg’s teacher merit pay contract proposal. (Columbus Dispatch)
- I mention “flagged editorial content” because much of what passes for education news these days is simply journalists covering expressions of folks’ opinions. Case in point: one state rep speaking about Common Core at a townhall event last week. I do like the “Freedom Summer Day” recognition bill proposal though. Good luck with that one. (Middletown Journal-News)
- The Vindy published a profile of the new head of the Youngstown academic distress commission over the weekend, talking to current and former colleagues of Joffrey Jones. My favorite quote: “People better be ready to hear what he has to say.” Talk about intestinal fortitude. (Youngstown Vindicator)
- Republican Governor John Kasich joined Democratic Mayor Michael Coleman in Columbus to announce that the state will help in funding the city’s big push to expand early childhood education (you can check out the details here). But how did that bipartisan step toward universal pre-K look from Cleveland in the midst of a gubernatorial race? Well, I’m glad you asked. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
- Pre-K is causing some problems in Toledo. The oft-mentioned-here expansion of Head Start through Toledo Public Schools already raised some issues when the grant was split with an out-of-state for-profit entity. And now, another out-of-state for-profit entity is taking over pre-K programming at the University of Toledo, beating out a local non-profit and keeping TPS from starting a Head Start program at the university. Fairness is questioned. (Toledo Blade)
