Ohio educators rally for school funding at Statehouse ahead of budget announcement
Ohio educators held one last rally to urge the state Senate to fully fund public schools ahead of the chamber's budget proposal.
Teaching at Jefferson Area High School in Ashtabula County was only supposed to be a temporary job while John Patterson finished graduate school.
'I discovered that teaching was my calling, and it was my mission,' said Patterson, a retired teacher of 29 years.
Like him, education is a passion for many teachers. Dozens made their way to the Ohio Statehouse to show their support for public school funding.
'It's important for Ohio's kids, it's important for Ohio's future, to get the school funding formula totally in place so there's predictability and sustainability for all of our schools in every corner of the state,' Patterson told me.
The educators protested against the House's passed budget, one that slashes hundreds of millions of dollars from the expected school spending.
The program currently in place, the Cupp-Patterson Fair School Funding Plan (FSFP), was a bipartisan formula that Patterson helped create when he was a state representative.
'I spent a great deal of time with my dear friend (former Republican House Speaker) Robert Cupp to come together to put something out there for the legislature that is sustainable, that is transparent, and that is good for the future,' Patterson said.
But Speaker Matt Huffman says that funding level is 'unsustainable.'
Now the future of the education budget is in Senate Finance Chair Jerry Cirino's (R-Kirtland) hands.
'When we make a move in the budget for school systems, it impacts different systems in different ways,' Cirino said during the start of the budget process. 'That's what makes it complicated.'
Senate President Rob McColley (R-Napoleon) warned that the funding formula could actually decrease the amount of money for schools this year.
'There's a chance that schools would see negative numbers as a result of that formula going into place,' he said.
According to lawmakers who work closely with schools, including state Rep. Jamie Callender, R-Concord, about 5% of districts would have less money this year than they did last year because they have fewer students enrolled.
'Are you fine potentially seeing negative numbers for some of these school districts?' McColley asked.
Patterson said that this makes the funding breakdown more equitable for public schools across the state.
With the House's budget, every school would receive significantly less money than they planned for, which districts have already said could lead to staff and program cuts.
'Shop classes or (Future Farmers of America) classes or art, music and gym that aren't necessarily required, those sorts of programs could get put on the chopping block,' Patterson continued.
The retired teacher is hoping that the Senators hear him before the budget amendments are announced this week.
'To help kids, that's who I am,' Patterson said.
Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on Twitter and Facebook.
SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Poli Sci Experts Predict How Gavin Newsom's Brutal Mockery Of Trump And MAGA Will Resonate
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) and his team have recently ramped up their social media attacks on President Donald Trump, his administration and the president's most dedicated MAGA supporters. And their approach is simple: Mock Trump by using his own style of writing and combativeness against him. Last week, the official social media account for Newsom's press office mimicked the president in a notably all-caps, Trump-esque tweet on X amid a controversial GOP redistricting ploy in Texas to send five more Republicans to the U.S. House. (Newsom has since launched a ballot initiative in California to ask voters in the state to approve early congressional redistricting to neutralize the Republican gains in Washington.) Related: 'CALIFORNIA WILL NOW DRAW NEW, MORE 'BEAUTIFUL MAPS,' THEY WILL BE HISTORIC AS THEY WILL END THE TRUMP PRESIDENCY (DEMS TAKE BACK THE HOUSE!)' Newsom's press office wrote. And in a tweet published Friday, the governor's office ridiculed a photo of Trump jabbing a finger at Russian President Vladimir Putin by sharing a photo of Newsom doing the same thing to Trump on the tarmac of Los Angeles International Airport in January. 'TINY HANDS IS OUT HERE COPYING ME — BUT WITHOUT THE STAMINA (SAD), AND CERTAINLY WITHOUT THE 'LOOKS.' TOTAL BETA! — GCN' the tweet read. Other posts from Newsom and his office have either imitated Trump's long-winded rants on his Truth Social platform or mocked some of the heavily edited and artificial intelligence-generated images that Trump and his MAGA supporters have been known to promote. But Newsom and his office have not stopped at Trump. The X account for the governor's press team has been quick to hit back at other critics online, and Newsom and his team have had some brutal jokes for Vice President JD Vance. Over the weekend, the California Democrat referenced Vance's past contentious exchange with Volodymyr Zelenskyy prior to the Ukrainian president's return to the Oval Office on Monday by sharing a viral video of Vance running awkwardly at the Disneyland theme park in California this summer. 'Go get 'em JD!' Newsom tweeted. While some socialmedia users who oppose Trumphave celebrated Newsom and his team for viciously trolling the Trump administration, several prominent conservatives and MAGAsupportersonX have, unsurprisingly, taken issue with the brutal tit-for-tat approach. Fox News anchor Trace Gallagher called Newsom's attacks 'childish,' Fox News host Dana Perino questioned whether the governor's wife would step in to stop him from tweeting, and right-wing commentator Tomi Lahren derided Newsom and his team as 'beta males' in a post on X. Newsom told reporters last week that he hoped his trolling was a 'wake-up call' and that 'the deeper question is, how have we allowed the normalization of his tweets, Truth Social posts' without 'similar scrutiny and notice.' But is this an effective approach to fight against the Trump administration? Will Newsom's trolling help energize the left? Read on to hear what experts in political science think. Why Newsom is using mockery to fight against Trump. 'In the age of Trump, my sense is that both Democrats and Republicans are casting about for approaches that are effective in countering Trump's unique style,' said Steven J. Balla, associate professor of political science, public policy and public administration, and international affairs at The George Washington University. Balla said that these responses tend to range from more 'high road' approaches to strategies that seek in some way to 'mirror' Trump. 'For now (at least) and on this issue (at least) Newsom has opted for the 'mirroring' approach,' he said. 'Why is that? I would think that such an approach is seen as a pathway to the Democratic nomination. That is, it is popular among Democratic primary voters, who tend to track to the left of the median Democrat. The target audience, in other words, is progressive Democrats.' Related: Tabitha Bonilla, an associate professor of political science and human development and social policy at Northwestern University, told HuffPost that she believes, 'Democrats are starting to realize that 'politics as usual' is not working as an approach.' 'They lost the election, Democrat favorability is low and there have been a lot of calls to reinvent themselves (and not a lot of agreement on what that means),' she said. 'I think it's clear that Governor Newsom is trying to establish a leadership role within the party and along with that, a style that pokes fun at the president.' 'I think all of this is a way to draw attention to the difference in how President Trump has used social media, but also as a point to demonstrate that Governor Newsom can play on the president's level,' she added. Jacob Neiheisel, associate professor of political science at the University at Buffalo College of Arts and Sciences, told HuffPost that he thinks Newsom is responding to 'elements of the Democratic rank-and-file who want party leaders to 'take the gloves off' and fight harder against Trump.' Why people on the left are celebrating Newsom trolling Trump. While people on the left have differing views about how to fight against the Trump administration — and different opinions about Newsom himself — there are many Democrats online who are celebrating the governor's approach to opposing Trump. Neiheisel thinks this is because there is a desire among some on the left to 'take the fight to Trump and to adopt Trump-like methods.' 'This move is hardly surprising to me given that the parties tend to emulate each other in many ways, particularly after a loss,' he said. Balla thinks the celebration is likely the loudest among progressive Democrats, 'much in the same way that Trump's communications play well with MAGA voters.' 'In both parties, I think, there are plenty of voters who are disenchanted with mocking attacks,' he said. 'But these voters are increasingly seen as relics, and they are most likely more moderate and therefore less crucial during primary contests.' Bonilla said that while she has not yet seen evidence in polls to suggest whether this style of attacking the president 'pushes opinion very far,' she thinks that for some Democrats, it is exciting to see their leaders fight against Trump. 'In this moment, where the Trump administration has disrupted a lot of how the government functions, has increased the powers of ICE and taken over municipal governments, people are incredibly eager for a way to express worry, frustration, and dissatisfaction with the way things are going,' she said. Is Newsom's approach an effective strategy? Newsom is widely speculated to be running for president in 2028. Should his potential political ambitions matter as people evaluate the effectiveness of his current attacks on Trump? Bonilla said that she supposes it 'does not hurt to engage with why a politician is acting in a particular way,' but thinks that 'most voters are pretty savvy in trying to discern if what an elected official is doing is trustworthy or represents them first and foremost.' But she suspects that any questions surrounding Newsom's political ambitions won't interfere with how people are currently responding to his attacks on Trump. 'However, I do think it would be a mistake to think that what Newsom is doing is a viable strategy for the Democratic Party as a whole,' she said. 'First, this type of response will probably lose meaning the more people do it. Second, other than poking fun at the president, I'd be surprised if this fully helped people (re)gain trust in the Democratic Party.' Balla said that he thinks Newsom's attacks on Trump are 'indistinguishable' from his political ambitions. 'In the end, is this an effective approach? To win a Democratic primary, perhaps,' he said. Overall, Balla finds it interesting that the Democratic Party is 'still so Trump-focused,' since he (presumably) won't be on the 2028 ticket. 'So will a Trump-like approach be effective in the next presidential election cycle? That in part depends on who the Republican nominee is and what that candidate's strengths and weaknesses are,' he said. 'Newsom (and others running against Trump) run the risk of winning the Democratic nomination but being ill-equipped to pivot to the general election.' But regardless of how Newsom's style of attack may play out in the future, are his recent posts likely getting under the president's skin? Neiheisel 'absolutely' believes so. 'Trump was triggered by a painting that was mildly unflattering,' he said. 'I think it is just in his nature to take exception to these types of attacks. And it is in the nature of his supporters to react on his behalf.' Related... Republicans Keep Falling For Gavin Newsom's Trump Trap Newsom's Press Office Slams 'DISGUSTING' Use Of U.S. Soldiers To Roll Out Red Carpet For Putin Gavin Newsom Says California Will Redraw Its 'BEAUTIFUL MAPS' In Hilarious All-Caps Post Mocking Trump
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Michael Steele: Lackluster GOP candidates open a 'battlefield' in fight for Senate control
Democrats have scored yet another major recruiting victory in their fight to flip control of the Senate. On Monday, former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio officially announced he would run to fill the Senate seat left vacant by Vice President JD Vance. Michael Steele, former Republican National Committee chair and co-host of 'The Weeknight,' said Brown's comeback bid shows how Democrats could sail to victory in next year's elections. According to Steele, there are three types of candidates in each election cycle: the vulnerable, the secure and 'the unknown.' He called Brown an unknown — an 'individual who gets in a race that no one thought they would.' Steele said those candidates have a higher chance at an upset. 'That's the part that I think all of this works to the advantage of Democrats, because they have much more of those unknowns sort of falling into their favor,' he continued, pointing to North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper's decision to enter the Senate race in his state. Steele also said there was another factor working in Democrats' favor ahead of the midterms: Many high-profile Republicans are sitting on the sidelines. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu both declined to run for Senate, despite pleas from their party. Steele said their absences open up a 'battlefield' for Democrats and it's up to them to 'seize the moment, the momentum and the messaging.' When Steele's co-host, Alicia Menendez, asked why he believed prominent Republicans like Kemp and Sununu were sitting out of the midterms, the former RNC chair said, 'It's not complicated.' 'They don't want Donald Trump anywhere near anything they're touching, because their ambitions go beyond 2026,' he said. 'So they don't want to have to run in a campaign in which Donald Trump could throw some smack their way, or they may have to smack him.' You can watch Steele's full analysis in the clip at the top of the page. This article was originally published on
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Texas Dems Get Hall Passes; Quorum-Breaking Holiday Over
A Republican lawmaker says Democratic colleagues are playing the 'victim card' after being required to sign hall passes in order to leave the Texas House floor. State Rep. Shelley Luther posted to X on August 18 that Democrats who returned from a two-week quorum break were issued written slips granting permission to exit the chamber under the custody of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Luther described the practice as proof Democrats had 'already wasted hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars with their little 14 day field trip' and called for new GOP-friendly maps, writing, 'Time to redistrict the Texas House seats.' Her post included an image of Rep. Gene Wu's pass, which stated that he was allowed to leave only 'in the custody of a designated officer of the Department of Pullic Safety appointed under Rule 5, Section 8, House Rules or Procedure, on the condition that the representative will return… at 10 am. on Wednesday, August 20, 2025.' The escort arrangement comes as lawmakers battle over Republican efforts to redraw congressional boundaries. The GOP plan, approved by a House committee Monday night, would create at least five new Republican-leaning districts. Republicans have said the changes are necessary to reflect population growth, while Democrats argue the proposal dilutes minority voting power. Notably, three of the five districts targeted by Republicans would see an increase in the voting power of Hispanic populations. Some Republicans have suggested the plan does not go far enough. State Rep. Brian Harrison told The Dallas Express the addition of five GOP-leaning districts should be the floor for negotiations and urged colleagues to consider even more. Democrats who fled the state earlier this month had sought to block that outcome. Their return triggered new procedural rules meant to guarantee their attendance in the chamber. Democratic Rep. Nicole Collier of Fort Worth told CBS News Texas she refused to sign the escort form on Monday and was effectively locked inside the Capitol. 'I have a right to resist, I have a right to oppose, just like my voters do,' Collier said. The Texas House Democratic Caucus called the escort system the 'latest Republican tactic to monitor and control Democratic lawmakers following their successful quorum break.' House Speaker Dade Phelan has suspended direct deposits for absent members, and civil arrest warrants were authorized to compel Democrats back to Austin. Gov. Greg Abbott launched an effort to remove Wu, the Democrat Caucus Chair, from office, while Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit to declare vacant the seats of those who continue to resist. Solve the daily Crossword
