COLUMBUS — Part of Ohio’s education overhaul of the state’s K-12 education system will take effect despite a court order Monday.
>>Kettering Planning Commission asks city to deny Sheetz plans
The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce will replace the Ohio Department of Education, Governor Mike DeWine said at a news conference Monday.
He said operations like school funding, approval of voucher applications, and other “essential functions of government” will continue, the Associated Press reports.
The announcement came after a Franklin County judge magistrate ordered the extension of a previous temporary restraining order on the overhaul until a judge can sign off on whether to put it on hold indefinitely.
“It’s important that support be given to our teachers. It’s important for our school children in the state of Ohio,” DeWine said. “As governor, I’m not going to allow this situation to exist where we don’t know where we’re going because of this court ruling.”
>>No injuries reported after plane crash in Clark County
DeWine said his office will not take “any affirmative action” on major decisions still pending, according to the AP.
“We believe based on what our lawyers tell us that the new department can in fact function,” he said.
The lawsuit brought against DeWine and the state challenges the constitutionally on several grounds, the AP said.
- The suit contends, the overhaul strips a constitutionally created and citizen-elected board of most of its duties and gives undue power to the governor.
- It violates Ohio’s “single subject rule” by shoving a massive measure into the state budget so close to the budget deadline out of fear it would not pass as its own bill.
- The budget didn’t receive the constitutionally mandated number of readings after the education measure was added.
The suit was initially brought by seven state board members and was joined Monday by the Toledo Board of Education.