Gadfly Bites 7/6/20 – Control

1. In case you missed it over the long holiday weekend, Governor DeWine issued some preliminary guidelines for schools to reopen in the fall. (WCBE-FM, Columbus, 7/3/20) Speaking of WCBE, the future of the public radio station owned by—and now kept afloat after hundreds of thousands of dollars of fraudulently-hidden debt repayments—Columbus City Schools has still not been decided. This white elephant, still bleeding money and still riddled with old accounting problems, remains on the district’s books while someone tries to figure out something to do with it that doesn’t (apparently) include getting rid of it or (apparently) using it to help Columbus students learn anything. (Columbus Dispatch, 7/6/20)
   
   

2. Meanwhile, Columbus City Schools is moving ahead with its previous plans for a limited reopening in the fall following Governor DeWine’s new guidance. CCS, and other districts, seem to worry most about the cost of implementing whatever plan they settle on, with various different parts causing angst. I bet that Hilliard wishes it had a valuable broadcasting license to sell for big cash. (Columbus Dispatch, 7/3/20)
   
   

3. Here’s an interesting interview chatting with “I Promise” series producer Maverick Carter. There’s some interesting stuff about how the docu-series came about, and even some stuff about the actual school too. But let’s not forget that the initial academic achievement data being touted is a little old now. Time for an update! (Deadline, 7/1/20)
   
   

4. Speaking of academic achievement (well, the lack thereof), editors at Vindy.com opined this weekend that the “HB 70 experiment” has failed and CEO-style Academic Distress Commissions must be ended. Control must be returned to local voters. (Vindy.com, 7/5/20)
   
   

5. Speaking of legislation that school districts really hate, here’s another set of homeowners taking to the ballot box—as the law now allows—to have their property rezoned into a neighboring school district. This legislation must be ended, too, it seems, and control must be returned to…. Wait a minute! (Bowling Green Sentinel-Tribune, 7/6/20)

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