Critics have pointed out Ted Strickland’s plan to hold an education rally with US Education Secretary Arne Duncan that was blatantly planned around the Ohio Education Association’s Columbus meeting:
“Some critics of Gov. Ted Strickland's education plan are accusing the governor of holding a rally Friday in support of his plan with U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan outside the Schottenstein Center at Ohio State because the Ohio Education Association also is holding an event there this week.
“The critics point out that the OEA, which supports the governor, is promoting the rally on its Web site and even is holding a recess from its Spring Representative Assembly for members to participate in the rally. The suggestion is that Strickland is trying ensure a big, friendly crowd.” [Columbus Dispatch’s The Daily Briefing Blog, 5/5/09]
Strickland’s latest political ploy to promote his education plan shouldn’t come as a surprise. This is just another instance where Strickland bows to organized labor when making his “bold” decisions. As Tom Suddes aptly pointed out in a recent editorial, Strickland’s education plan for change “doesn’t really rankle teachers’ unions.”
“In fairness, Strickland's plan does offer some real change, but it'd be change that doesn't really rankle teachers' unions. That speaks volumes.” [Editorial by Thomas Suddes, 4/12/09]
Going back through the archives one easily finds more evidence of Strickland’s slobbering, bought-and-paid-for, love affair with the teachers unions. Strickland once told the Ohio Education Association “there’s no way” we would have remained in Congress had it not been for them:
“Earlier yesterday, Mr. Strickland addressed the Ohio Education Association in Columbus at the organization's statewide representative assembly. Mr. Strickland, a former member of the organization, said the group was key in several of his congressional elections. ‘He said point blank: There's no way he would have been able to do it for 12 years in Congress had it not been for us,’ said Deidra Reese, the association's director of government services. ‘We helped him win, we put him over the top in several elections. He's very committed to us.’” [Toledo Blade, 5/6/06]
In his political, Strickland has received more than $162,000 through teachers unions.
