Stark County educators will participate in a community forum to discuss the proposed state budget's potential impact on school districts.
Canton Mayor William Sherer II organized the June 10 forum after hearing concerns from Canton City School District Superintendent Jeffrey Talbert, he said.
“It’s going to be devastating,” Sherer said. “The attack on public schools right now is unprecedented.”
Canton’s public schools would suffer if the budget passes as is, Sherer said, pointing to a provision that would force public schools to close buildings and sell them at a cheap rate.
“If their school buildings are not 60% occupied, they have to sell that to a charter school below market rate, basically,” Sherer said. “I believe it's a complete dismantling of public education.”
Sherer is also sounding the alarm about proposed changes to school funding that would cut down on schools’ rainy-day funds, he said. Any district that exceeds a carryover of more than 30% of its operating budget would be required to refund that money to taxpayers, according to the proposal.
Sherer invited superintendents from the nearly 20 public school districts in Stark County to the forum, hoping residents can hear how these proposed changes will impact urban, rural and suburban districts, he said.
“This is definitely going to affect everybody,” he said.
Sherer also invited mayors and elected officials from cities and villages across the county, as well as state elected officials, he added.
“It’s going to be a purely educational forum about, if this legislation passes, this is possibly what's going happen, and what are they going to be willing to sacrifice?” Sherer said.
Superintendents from two Canton districts – Talbert of Canton City and Brent May of Plain Local Schools – as well as Joe Chaddock, superintendent of the Stark County Educational Service Center, will give remarks at the forum. Attendees will also hear from a panel of superintendents from other districts, according to a Wednesday news release.
Governor Mike DeWine has defended the proposal to force public schools to sell some buildings to charter schools. Public schools hold on to the properties instead of selling “for no other reason than to stop them, some competition. So that’s what the issue is,” DeWine said.
The forum takes place June 10 at 6 p.m. at the Canton Memorial Civic Center.
