OPINION: School Funding, Short Stuff, and Grumpy Grinches

OK, How SHOULD We Fund Schools?

Look, the Ohio Supreme Court has ruled four times in five years that Ohio's school funding mechanism is unconstitutional. Do we need to be hit over the head with a brick to get the message? The only reason I can figure for the administrative foot-dragging in implementing a new system is this: it's going to be tough.

REALLY tough.

As much frustration as I feel when I see the obvious discrepancies in school systems that are separated by just a couple of miles, I have to admit our current system has at least one very significant benefit. When I vote for my local school board members, attend their meetings, call the super's office, and work as a volunteer to pass our local levies, I have a loud voice in JUST HOW THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SPENDS ITS MONEY. Because it's MY money. And the school board had to ASK me for it. Any statewide funding system is necessarily going to decentralize the process. And I for one don't like the idea that my voice in how MY school district is run is going to be somewhat muffled along the way.

Like I said, this is a doozy of a problem. If I thought I had a good solution, I'd run it up the flagpole, so to speak. At the moment, all I can offer is this: As parents, and as residents of this fine state, we need to watch this issue carefully. We must speak up quickly and loudly in all matters that affect education in Ohio. (Reports on the Ohio school funding ruling ran in Ohio and National papers on Thursday, December 12, 2002)

Talk About Horsepower!

Melissa Alexander is my new hero.

The 5-foot-3-inch, 110-lb. high school student from German Township (near Dayton) literally tackled and hog-tied a much larger intruder who had ransacked her family's cars and broke into their house.

Police officers who responded were impressed with Alexander's mettle and physical strength, but the 17-year-old says she's not interested in a career in law enforcement. She credits her strength (and roping skills) to having spent much of her young life training horses.

Do you think Alexander's house is going to be a target for future intruders? NEIGH!

(The full story of Melissa Alexander's heroic foiling of the four intruders that broke into her house ran nationally and around the state on Friday, December 13, 2002)

The Grinch is Gone

I'll be the first to argue that most criminals aren't very smart. But the person who stole a 7-foot Grinch decoration REALLY doesn't get it. Last week, an especially scroogy crook took the decoration from the front yard of a Streetsboro, Ohio family. The family put up a sign in the Grinch's (rightful) place that reads: Please Bring Back our Grinch. It would be nice to think that the petty thief would reconsider his motives, have a change of heart (like the Grinch himself) and think, gee, they even said 'please.' But I have little hope that politeness will sway the vandal's decision. It would be nice to hope that the Grinch-grabber might succumb to a hearty dose of holiday cheer, realize the true meaning of Christmas, and from here evermore behave kindly toward others, even inflatable decorations.

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