Dennis Kucinich, a former eight-term member of Congress, is touring the state of Ohio, possibly exploring a bid for the governorship. John Kasich is nearing the end of his two terms. Kucinich is an outspoken critic of charter schools and vouchers, saying that they drain resources from public schools.
Dennis Kucinich, a potential candidate for governor and former Ohio congressman, spoke Monday night in Washington Township, where he criticized charter schools as a drain on public funding and public schools.
Kucinich called charter schools a “multi-billion dollar boondoogle” that forces Ohioans to subsidize private school education with money that is supposed to go to public schools.
Charter schools are publicly funded, privately operated schools.
“If you want to send your kid to a private school, pay for it,” Kucinich said. “But don’t send your kid to private school and tell the public they have to pay for it.”
The local representative of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute criticized Kucinich for “grandstanding.”
It is wonderful to see the issue of privatization become part of the political landscape after having advanced stealthily for the past 15 years.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
It’s a miracle. An actual politician of whatever party comes out strongly against charter schools and vouchers. Amazing. I hope he wins.
LikeLike
Not to take away from him but lots of state and local politicians in Ohio question ed reform. He has a national profile in a way they don’t, but many went before him.
We had a local statehouse candidate 2 years ago who made Ohio’s abandonment of public schools the central issue of his campaign. He was a public school graduate who had done quite well and wanted to “give back”. A passionate supporter of existing public schools, and the children in those schools.
LikeLike
Chiara,
Was that candidate elected?
LikeLike
Kucinich was in the UNITED STATES Congress for 16 years. His profile is high which is why his comments merited media coverage. A relevant question is why Fordham’s Chad Aldis merits coverage in every media article about Ohio education and, why Bill Phillis isn’t quoted.
LikeLike
Linda,
Every reporter in Ohio has Chad and the Fordham Institute on speed dial. In DC, it is Mike Petrilli if they can’t reach Checker Finn, to balance negative stories about charters.
LikeLike
Thanks for posting Kucinich’s comments. His statements should shame Ohio’s state government and Ohio’s two U.S. senators.
LikeLike
One Ohio reporter who does carry the Fordham bags, is Doug Livingston of the Akron Beacon Journal.
LikeLike
Correction “does not”
LikeLike
I know you know this, but Kucinich is actually late to the issue inside Ohio. It’s been bubbling up a long time.
There was a long period (more than 15 years) where it was all the kind of rah-rah cheerleading we now hear out of DC, but that changed about 5 years ago and now there is a real debate.
Ohio has a longer history with ed reform than a lot of states. We have literally every ed reform scheme or program or experiment that Jeb Bush dreams up. The promises and rosy scenarios don’t fly here like they do at the federal level. Reality started to intrude.
I knew it had become real when the Columbus Dispatch started looking at ed reform critically. There was no bigger, blind booster than them. It became too big to ignore.
Other states could learn from us, but they don’t. The national sales pitch continues and it has to hit home in each state before a real debate even begins. It takes YEARS.
We have ed reformers come to Ohio and point to BOSTON as an example of ed reform. They aren’t even aware that we have ALL the ed reform schemes in operation right now and have had them FOR YEARS. One of the first court cases on vouchers came out of Ohio. The disconnect is extraordinary. It’s as if we haven’t done any of these things.
LikeLike
Chiara, I have no doubt you are right about Kucinich being late to this issue in Ohio; you are in a far better position to know.
However, defending the public sector and public resources from privatization and privateering goes back to the very beginning of his political career.
In the mid-70’s, a baby-faced Kucinich was mayor of Cleveland when cities all over the country were experiencing Overclass-imposed austerity. Here in NYC, it was referred to as “the fiscal crisis,” even though in reality it was a banker’s coup, and the official start of the neoliberal era. In Cleveland, the local Overclass demanded that, in exchange for continued bank credit, the city turn over ownership of its municipally-owned power system, known as Muni.
Kucinich refused, and though it cost him his job as mayor, Muni remained in public hands, and Kucinich’s actions were later validated by events.
He may not have been the first in Ohio to oppose the school privateers, but he knows what’s going on, and I’m happy to see him back in the fray. Win or lose, he’ll help break open the debate about school privatization.
LikeLike
Exactly, Michael F.
Breaking the issue into public debate is key
LikeLike
I would ask public school parents and supporters in Ohio to ask their representatives what EXACTLY they have done to strengthen or improve PUBLIC schools in the last year.
Don’t accept the “we’re agnostics!” brush off. It’s meaningless. Specifics.
If they ARE agnostics they should have no issue with breaking it out for you. If they aren’t then that’s information you need in the next election.
Their willingness to allow public schools to exist alongside their preferred systems is not good enough. You deserve elected officials who value your schools. Affirmative, pro-active support. A list. They have to ADD VALUE to existing public schools. Demand more than “agnostic” neglect. Demand the same kind of passion and fervor they show for charters and vouchers. Anything less is not good enough.
LikeLike
+100 Chiara!
LikeLike
Agree.
A relevant question is why Fordham’s Chad Aldis merits coverage in every media article about Ohio education and, why Bill Phillis isn’t quoted. Bill Phillis is to Ohio what Diane is to the nation.
I a not sure whether Kucinich has the abuility to do anything wonderful in Ohio. He has certainly gone on record while the Democratic party can’t think of any cause except raising money.
LikeLike
“If you want to send your kid to a private school, pay for it,” Kucinich said. “But don’t send your kid to private school and tell the public they have to pay for it.””
Yep, many of us peeons have been saying that for years. Glad to see it coming from a fairly well known politician.
LikeLike
Educational savings accounts, enable parents to do exactly that. Parents can save, and use the savings to enroll their children in the school of their choice. The proceeds can also be used for tutoring, books, and other educational related expenses.
LikeLike
But it is not their savings. It is money that should be paid in taxes to support the services that all of us need and use.
LikeLike
The difference between parents saving for their child’s education in the ‘normal’ way and with ESAs is that the first does not take away monies from the public schools. The second does as the amount of taxes available for public schooling (you know, mandated by the states’ constitutions) is a limited fund. You, Chas, appear to have no problem in not properly funding our public schools.
LikeLike
exactly right, Duane, in defining the difference between saving for your child’s education and withholding the taxes you owe and calling it “savings.”
LikeLike
The Dayton Daily News charges the Chamber of Commerce for the space they use to promote the organization’s views. Why isn’t DDN charging Fordham for space? Fordham is owned by the richest 0.1%, people who expect to pay their costs of business. If the Chamber called itself the Institute of Rockefeller Commerce would they get free space? Both organizations want tax dollars in private hands. Neither wants democratic control of organizations.
LikeLike
The city of Dayton is lucky to have a fine newspaper like the Dayton Daily News. The paper’s front page reporters like the author of the linked article, reporter Lynn Hulsey are excellent. Her colleagues, Laura Bischoff, Josh Sweigart and Max Filby are a credit to their profession.
DDN’s editorial page gives journalism a bad name. A while ago, any pretense at an equal opportunity for opinion from those who aren’t extreme ideological right wingers, was abandoned. This week, pension propaganda that could have been written by John Arnold or the Koch’s State Budget Solutions was on the editorial page. It’s too bad there’s so much eagerness to throw pensioners under the bus, since many of them may be subscribers to the paper and, their pension money has a substantial economic multiplier effect in Dayton. When the richest 0.1% go after the federal pensions of the Wright Pat employees, I presume those employees will be thrown under the bus, too.
LikeLike
I am a former resident of the Buckeye State (Columbus 1990-1991, Massillon 1999-2000). Dennis Kucinich was mayor of Clevel and, and he was in charge, when the first city since the Depression took bankruptcy.
He has received an “F” from the NRA. I hope he never gets elected again.
LikeLike
See http://www.conservapedia.com/Dennis_Kucinich
LikeLike
Sounds like a great Anerican
LikeLike