LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Charter schools 
fail public

8/12/2014

Your July 25 editorial “Merging schools” stated that Ohio’s 614 school districts still duplicate too many services that larger, consolidated districts could manage more efficiently. I agree that some public school districts are too small to provide a wide range of educational opportunities. Some districts are also too large.

But you neglected to address the charter school industry. Ohio has added 372 charter schools, according to the Ohio Department of Education’s Web site. These charter schools don’t offer consolidation and efficiency, and the vast majority of them are failing Ohio’s students.

These failing schools continue to drain public tax dollars and students from public school districts. The Blade should push for legislation to hold the charter school industry accountable.

KEVIN J. LILLIE
Treasurer/ CFO 
Geneva Area City Schools
Geneva

Photo of teacher was cheap shot
I am disappointed that The Blade took the low road by publishing the photo of the Riverdale elementary school teacher who resigned (“Accused teacher to resign; Educator looks to be pushing child on May video,” July 26).

I take exception to the photo of the teacher, Barb Williams, you used. It shows her with her index finger to her lips. Was that necessary? You could have chosen a more appropriate photo.

It’s hard to respect or want to subscribe to a newspaper that would intentionally try to make a person appear to be worse than she really is.

I’m not judging her. I wasn’t there and don’t know all the circumstances. But from the looks of this chosen photo, you have judged her.

MADELINE DOBLE
Fremont

 

Teachers support Common Core
Educators nationwide overwhelmingly support the new Common Core state standards (“Ohio bill would scrap Common Core model,” July 29). Several Toledo teachers and I saw and heard that support during discussions about Common Core during the American Federation of Teachers’ national convention last month in Los Angeles.

After extensive debate among thousands of educators, convention delegates passed a resolution supporting the promise and potential of Common Core as a way to ensure that all children have the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in the 21st century.

The Common Core state standards have great potential to transform teaching and learning and provide all children, no matter where they live, with the problem-solving, critical-thinking, and teamwork skills they need to compete in today’s changing world.

Such opportunities for greater student achievement are well worth the work needed to get the implementation side of this effort right. Our students are worth it. They deserve to have this opportunity, but it must be done right.

KEVIN DALTON
President
Toledo Federation of Teachers
South Byrne Road