Thursday, September 30, 2010

Clueless

Republican John Kasich's views on education sound risky to both school children and tax payers.

On the Issues:
John Kasich on School Choice: Apr 6, 1999

Tax money for entrepreneurial private schools

Kasich wants “total school choice,” which would allow states to organize schools as they wish, even using tax money to send children to private schools. A free-market enthusiast, he envisions entrepreneurs with “minimal qualifications” setting up new schools and competing for students. He has little patience for concerns that some of the neediest children could be left behind: “I don't know what will come, but I know what we have ain't working.”
Source: Los Angeles Times, “Kasich Eagerly Rolls”, 4/6/99


Modern Esquire over at Plunderbund shows that John Kasich doesn't know much about some of the industries in Ohio that are already engaged in the use of wind energy.

 (pic and caption from Plunderbund)

Kasich is living in some 1990's time warp because he seems completely ignorant about some issues and problems.  He wants more computers in the classroom, but does he even remotely understand the cost of such an idea? You can't have computers in the classroom without teachers and technology specialists who are trained educators.  I hope Kasich doesn't think he could replace teachers with computers.  He isn't that stupid, is he?


Kasich has this deep seated hatred of public school teachers (that might explain why women, who make up a majority of the teaching profession, support Strickland over Kasich).  Here are a few things that Kasich has said about teachers (from the Kasich website):

....Addressing education in Ohio, he said, "We've got to invest dollars in the classroom to empower buildings. We don't need curriculum advisers and the knuckleheads in Columbus should not tell you how to run the schools.....

...Students don't want textbooks but to learn technology, however, education is stuck in the past. We've been fighting them for 28 years.....

The Star Beacon provides these Kasich  quotes on education: 
 
....Expand the school voucher program and break the grip unions hold on education. "Now my concern with the teachers union is that I am convinced they are a lot more concerned with their own situation rather than the situation of our children," Kasich said.

“We need more school choice, we need to break the back of organized labor in the schools, and we need to turn our schools into institutions that excite our kids and teach them, and the best way to get it done is to give mothers and fathers the power to take their kids out of bad places and put them in good,” Kasich said to a round of applause.....


Kasich's words are evidence of his bull-headed, pompous, know-it-all, attitude about everything.  He doesn't want to discuss a problem--- he'll tell you his way is the only solution, even if he knows nothing about the issue.  Kasich has demonstrated his total disrespect for teachers, educators, college professors, education curriculum supervisors, and those who work in public schools with the challenges of the modern classroom. Does he even know what goes on in a public school? I think he is clueless.

Kasich thinks that just because he had some cushy job at Ohio State, where he was paid $1,000/hour, that he is suddenly an expert on education.  Trust me. Kasich knows nothing about schools, students, teachers, and education. Yet, Kasich, if elected, plans to make major cuts in education.  You cannot have success in life without a good education, but Kasich is willing to pull the rug out from under our public school children to feed the coffers of his campaign contributors who just happen to own charter schools.