Gov. Seeks removal of Ohio Dept of Ed Head Zelman

[Guest guest]

This story was recently posted to www.ohioschoolwatch101.com. The

Winkelman family continues its struggles and apparently are up against

the entire system.

Gov. Ted Strickland and members of the state school board discussed

this week a plan to force out state schools chief T. Zelman.

Strickland has been critical of Zelman and her lack of leadership

skills in running the Ohio Department of Education. Many Ohio Schools

are failing miserably due the the ODE failing to exercise proper

oversight, especially in the areas of special education. Recently,

ODE was sued by one family, that of and Sandee Winkelman,

because Zelman refused to comply with the requirements of the IDEA to

implement a hearing officer's decision in favor of the child. Zelman

responded to the families request that the law be implemented, and

Zelman's office response was a refusal to do so.

The governor wants to take over the Ohio Department of Education,

which Zelman heads, and the governor is receiving quiet support from

some members of the State's Board of Education. Speaking to School

Watch on condition of anonymity on Board member expressed, " We are

thoroughly frustrated with Zelman's and her continuing to blame

others, and failure to take effective action. " A second Board Member,

also speaking anonymously, expressed a concern that Zelman was so

entrenched in the " old-boys network " of education that she allowed her

office to be a " sock-puppet " of those district over which she was

supposed to be providing oversight.

As a side note, sources at ODE have reported to SW that as a result of

suit filed by the Winkelmans, the attorneys for Parma City School

District have been meeting with the ODE administrators to plan and

coordinate a strategy intended to circumvent the IDEA protections the

parents are attempting to invoke for their autistic son. The suit

initiated by the Winkelmans seeks declaratory relief from the court

that the Monarch School, where their son currently attends, is his

pendency placement during the Parma City School District's appeal of

the impartial hearing officer's decision. The impartial hearing

officer ruled that Parma has denied a free, appropriate public

education and that the Monarch School is an appropriate placement.

One of the administrators involved in the meeting reportedly stated,

" We can't allow the Winkelmans to win this, because it will encourage

other families to seek enforcement of their rights. " Zelman

apparently has been directed by attorneys representing Parma on how to

respond to the action initiated by the Winkelmans.

The Ohio Board of Education Board members who learned of ODE's taking

direction from Parma School attorneys responded that this was " typical

Zelman, " and she routinely takes direction from the districts she is

supposed to provide oversight to. There is no love for Zelman with

the Board.

Gov. Strickland wants to assign oversight of the agency to a

cabinet-level education director. Legislative efforts are underway to

reorganize the ODE, and this would sending Zelman packing.