Supreme Court's review of HB70 reflects beauty of US, Tressel says

YOUNGSTOWN

Jim Tressel, who helped develop the Youngstown Plan, said the Ohio Supreme Court’s decision to hear its appeal is part of the beauty of living in the United States.

“We have a system of governance and laws being made, but also the freedom to appeal and to further discuss,” said Tressel, Youngstown State University president. “If it’s the right thing to do, it will withstand the test of time and appeals.”

The court on Wednesday accepted the appeal of the Youngstown Board of Education and other parties in their case against House Bill 70, the Youngstown Plan.

Gov. John Kasich signed HB 70 into law in July 2015. It enabled a state-appointed academic distress commission to hire a CEO to lead the district.

City schools spokeswoman Denise Dick said the district is simply not a party in the lawsuit.

“We’re just going to keep focusing on what’s best for students and what’s happening in classrooms,” she said.

But school board member Dario Hunter said in a Wednesday statement: “The Ohio Supreme Court has done the right thing by deciding ... to accept the appeal of the Youngstown Board of Education and other parties in their case against HB 70 (‘the Youngstown Plan’).”

HB 70 is “anti-democratic,” Hunter maintained, and unconstitutional.

John Richard, Youngstown Academic Distress Commission chairman, said it’s business as usual for the commission.

“Our work as a commission continues as per the statute, and is not currently affected by this update,” he said.

Read more about the matter in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.