To the editor:
News reports indicate that the State Auditor may investigate the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) for charter school data rigging. This could be as explosive as the Columbus Public Schools data rigging matter; however, don't count on it.
Remember when the State Auditor attempted to audit the public funds that are flowing to JobsOhio, the privatized sector of the State's Department of Development? He was stopped cold in his tracks by the political machine. In a matter of hours, the Legislature enacted legislation to stop him.
Remember when the State Auditor appeared before the House Education Committee regarding House Bill 2 urging the committee to add provisions that would shed light on the financial transactions of for-profit charter operators?
The machine would have no part of that.
Remember when House leadership, just recently, refused to schedule HB 2 with Senate amendments for a vote? The machine blocked it.
ODE is part of the machine. Maybe the machine will throw ODE under the bus, maybe not.
Regardless, it is imperative that Ohio citizens get involved in cleaning up the charter mess. Thus far, state officials have failed.
Sincerely,
William Phillis
Ohio E & A