White Hat Management Political Contributions

Plunderbund has an article detailing the failings of White Hat Management as a charter school management company, and in light of the news of the GOP plan to privatize public education, the political crosswinds that created the plan

The goal of this budget seems pretty obvious. White Hat has a problem with their schools and boards and sponsors so the legislature just removes them from the picture, allowing White Hat to drirectly start up schools as for-profit companies, eliminating the hassle of oversight. White Hat has a problem with people questioning how they use public funds provided by the state, so the legislature just makes those funds private as soon as they are delivered to White Hat.

Some of the language in this budget is so specifically directly at helping White Hat that it wouldn’t surprise me at all if Brennan’s lawyers write it themselves. Whether it’s true or not, Ohio’s GOP politicians appear to be paying back one of their largest campaign donors with millions of state dollars while completely disregarding the educational needs of thousands of Ohio’s students.

The whole article is worth a read.

Just to highlight the scope of Brennan's political largese, here is a list of the almost $1.6 million in political campaign contributions made by some of the main players involved with White Hat Management since 2000.

Cycle	Amount	Contributor Name	Recipient Name
2010	$50,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	OHIO REPUBLICAN PARTY - EXECUTIVE CMTE
2010	$50,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	OHIO REPUBLICAN PARTY - EXECUTIVE CMTE
2010	$30,000	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	OHIO REPUBLICAN PARTY - STATE CANDIDATE FUND
2010	$30,000	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	OHIO REPUBLICAN PARTY - STATE CANDIDATE FUND
2010	$30,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	OHIO REPUBLICAN PARTY - STATE CANDIDATE FUND
2010	$25,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	OHIO REPUBLICAN PARTY - EXECUTIVE CMTE
2010	$25,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	OHIO REPUBLICAN PARTY - EXECUTIVE CMTE
2010	$17,075	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	REPUBLICAN SENATE CAMPAIGN CMTE OF OHIO
2010	$17,075	BRENNAN, DAVID L	REPUBLICAN SENATE CAMPAIGN CMTE OF OHIO
2010	$17,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	OHIO HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN CMTE
2010	$17,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	REPUBLICAN SENATE CAMPAIGN CMTE OF OHIO
2010	$17,000	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	REPUBLICAN SENATE CAMPAIGN CMTE OF OHIO
2010	$17,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	OHIO HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN CMTE
2010	$11,396	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	MANDEL, JOSH
2010	$11,396	BRENNAN, DAVID L	KASICH, JOHN & TAYLOR, MARY
2010	$11,395	BRENNAN, DAVID L	KASICH, JOHN & TAYLOR, MARY
2010	$11,395	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	HUSTED, JON
2010	$11,395	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	KASICH, JOHN & TAYLOR, MARY
2010	$11,350	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	WAGONER, MARK
2010	$11,350	BRENNAN, DAVID L	NIEHAUS, TOM
2010	$11,350	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	FABER, KEITH
2010	$11,350	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	NIEHAUS, TOM
2010	$11,300	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	HUSTED, JON
2010	$11,300	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	MANDEL, JOSH
2010	$11,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	DEWINE, MIKE
2010	$11,000	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	MORGAN, SETH
2010	$11,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	BATCHELDER, WILLIAM G
2010	$11,000	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	BATCHELDER, WILLIAM G
2010	$11,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	AMSTUTZ, RON
2010	$11,000	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	HUFFMAN, MATT
2010	$11,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	BATCHELDER, WILLIAM G
2010	$11,000	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	AMSTUTZ, RON
2010	$6,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	YOST, DAVID A
2010	$5,500	BRENNAN, DAVID L	BACON, KEVIN
2010	$5,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	YOST, DAVID A
2010	$4,000	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	OHIO REPUBLICAN PARTY - STATE CANDIDATE FUND
2010	$3,125	MANNA, ANTHONY	OHIO REPUBLICAN PARTY - STATE CANDIDATE FUND
2010	$250	WEBER III, JOSEPH R	MANDEL, JOSH
2010	$250	RICE, MARK A	MANDEL, JOSH
2010	$250	MESSER JR, QUENTIN	MANDEL, JOSH
2010	$250	WEBER III, JOSEPH R	LAROSE, FRANK
2010	$100	MESSER JR, QUENTIN	HUSTED, JON
2008	$100,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	OHIO REPUBLICAN PARTY - EXECUTIVE CMTE
2008	$100,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	OHIO REPUBLICAN PARTY - EXECUTIVE CMTE
2008	$100,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	OHIO REPUBLICAN PARTY - EXECUTIVE CMTE
2008	$100,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	OHIO REPUBLICAN PARTY - EXECUTIVE CMTE
2008	$50,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	OHIO REPUBLICAN PARTY - EXECUTIVE CMTE
2008	$50,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	OHIO REPUBLICAN PARTY - EXECUTIVE CMTE
2008	$30,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	OHIO REPUBLICAN PARTY - STATE CANDIDATE FUND
2008	$25,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L MR	Republican National Cmte
2008	$16,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	REPUBLICAN SENATE CAMPAIGN CMTE OF OHIO
2008	$16,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	REPUBLICAN SENATE CAMPAIGN CMTE OF OHIO
2008	$16,000	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	REPUBLICAN SENATE CAMPAIGN CMTE OF OHIO
2008	$16,000	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	REPUBLICAN SENATE CAMPAIGN CMTE OF OHIO
2008	$15,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	OHIO HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN CMTE
2008	$12,500	BRENNAN, DAVID L	OHIO HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN CMTE
2008	$10,650	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	HARRIS, BILL
2008	$10,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	BACON, KEVIN
2008	$10,000	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	TAYLOR, MARY
2008	$10,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	TAYLOR, MARY
2008	$10,000	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	BATCHELDER, WILLIAM
2008	$10,000	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	BATCHELDER, WILLIAM
2008	$10,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	BATCHELDER, WILLIAM
2008	$10,000	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	COLEY, BILL
2008	$10,000	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	DOLAN, MATTHEW
2008	$10,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	HOTTINGER, JAY
2008	$10,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	DOLAN, MATTHEW
2008	$10,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	HUSTED, JON
2008	$10,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	PATTON, THOMAS
2008	$10,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	NIEHAUS, TOM
2008	$10,000	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	CAREY JR, JOHN A
2008	$10,000	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	HUSTED, JON
2008	$10,000	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	JONES, SHANNON
2008	$5,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	HITE, CLIFFORD
2008	$5,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	GINTER, TIM
2008	$5,000	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	HOTTINGER, JAY
2008	$2,500	BRENNAN, DAVID L	SCHLICHTER, JOHN
2008	$2,300	HARRISON, E D MS	George V Voinovich (R)
2008	$2,300	BRENNAN, ANN	Lamar Alexander (R)
2008	$2,300	BRENNAN, DAVID	Lamar Alexander (R)
2008	$2,300	BRENNEN, NANCY J	George V Voinovich (R)
2008	$2,300	BRENNAN, DAVID L	James D Jordan (R)
2008	$1,300	BRENNAN, DAVID L	George V Voinovich (R)
2008	$1,000	HARRISON, E D MS	George V Voinovich (R)
2008	$1,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	George V Voinovich (R)
2008	$1,000	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	TIFFANY, TOM
2008	$1,000	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	DARLING, ALBERTA
2008	$1,000	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	COUGHLIN, KEVIN
2008	$500	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	EGELHOFF, JO
2008	$500	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	HUSTED, JON
2008	$500	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	DAVIS, BRETT
2008	$500	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	PETROWSKI, JERRY J
2008	$500	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	MURSAU, JEFFREY L
2008	$500	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	NERISON, LEE
2008	$500	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	HINES, J A
2008	$500	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	HELLMAN, DAN
2008	$500	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	NERISON, LEE
2008	$500	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	HONADEL, MARK
2008	$500	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	TOWNS, DEBI
2008	$500	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	RIPP, KEITH
2008	$500	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	VAN ROY, KARL
2008	$500	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	FRISKE, DON
2008	$500	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	MURTHA, JOHN
2008	$500	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	WILLIAMS, MARY
2008	$500	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	DOCKERY, PAULA
2008	$400	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	HUEBSCH, MIKE
2008	$200	BRENNAN, DAVID L	George V Voinovich (R)
2008	$200	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	VOS, ROBIN J
2008	$200	BRENNAN, ANN AMER	COLE, RANDY
2006	$15,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	REPUBLICAN SENATE CAMPAIGN CMTE OF OHIO
2006	$10,000	BRENNAN, ANN	GREEN, MARK A (G)
2006	$10,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	CAREY JR, JOHN A
2006	$10,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	TAYLOR, MARY
2006	$10,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	HUSTED, JON
2006	$10,000	BRENNAN, DAVE	GREEN, MARK A (G)
2006	$10,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	PETERSON, JON
2006	$10,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	HARTMANN, GREG
2006	$10,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	BRADLEY, JENNETTE B
2006	$10,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	LYNCH, DAVID
2006	$7,500	BRENNAN, DAVID L	CAREY JR, JOHN A
2006	$5,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	TAYLOR, MARY
2006	$5,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	SEITZ, BILL
2006	$4,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	PETERSON, JON
2006	$2,500	BRENNAN, DAVID L	LUTHER, BRANT
2006	$2,500	BRENNAN, DAVID L	BACON, KEVIN
2006	$2,500	BRENNAN, DAVID L	MARTIN, EARL J
2006	$2,500	BRENNAN, DAVID L	STIVERS, STEVE
2006	$2,500	BRENNAN, DAVID L	CATES, GARY
2006	$2,500	BRENNAN, DAVID L	NIEHAUS, TOM
2006	$2,500	BRENNAN, DAVID L	HOPPEL, JIM
2006	$2,500	BRENNAN, DAVID L	STIVERS, STEVE
2006	$2,500	BRENNAN, DAVID L	HAYES, WILLIAM C
2006	$2,100	BRENNAN, DAVID L	Craig Foltin (R)
2006	$2,100	BRENNAN, DAVID L	Craig Foltin (R)
2006	$2,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	PATTON, THOMAS F
2006	$2,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	MARTIN, EARL J
2006	$2,000	BRENNAN, DAVID L	WEBSTER, SHAWN N
2004	$2,500	BRENNAN, DAVID L	HAGAN, JOHN P
2004	$2,500	BRENNAN, DAVID L	SETZER, ARLENE J
2004	$2,500	BRENNAN, DAVID L	CALVERT, CHARLES E
2004	$2,500	BRENNAN, DAVID L	NIEHAUS, TOM
2004	$2,500	BRENNAN, DAVID L	CATES, GARY
2004	$2,500	BRENNAN, DAVID L	PADGETT, JOY
2004	$2,500	BRENNAN, DAVID L	PETRO, JIM
2004	$2,000	BRENNAN, NANCY J MRS	George W Bush (R)
2004	$2,000	BRENNAN, ANN A MRS	George W Bush (R)
2004	$1,000	BRENNAN, NANCY	Steven C LaTourette (R)
2004	$1,000	BRENNAN, NANCY	Mike DeWine (R)
2004	$1,000	BRENNAN, NANCY	Bill McCollum (R)
2004	$1,000	KROHN, MARK E MR	George W Bush (R)
2004	$1,000	MORRIS, JOHN C MR	George W Bush (R)
2004	$1,000	BRENNAN, NANCY J	George V Voinovich (R)
2004	$1,000	BRENNAN, NANCY J	George V Voinovich (R)
2004	$500	BRENNAN, DAVID	SPADY, FAWN
2002	$2,500	BRENNAN, DAVID L	RAUSSEN, JAMES
2002	$2,500	BRENNAN, DAVID L	RAUSSEN, JAMES
2002	$1,000	BRENNAN, NANCY J	George V Voinovich (R)
2002	$1,000	BRENNAN, NANCY	Mike DeWine (R)
2000	$1,500	BRENNAN, DAVID L	GARDNER, RANDALL
2000	$1,000	BRENNAN, NANCY J	George V Voinovich (R)

Data taken from www.transparencydata.com.

Teaching isn't as simple as it appears

Ever since Gov. John Kasich barely beat the red light in last November's election, his school-reform bus has been careening at breakneck speed, rolling over all in its path. But no one is in sight to flag him for reckless driving.

He and other public-education "reformers" are transferring millions of tax dollars from public schools to less scrutinized charters and private schools. They are dissing classroom teachers by taking away both their dignity and their voices at the bargaining table, while watering down teacher-license requirements and dancing to the tune of the highly paid elites from tax-exempt foundations.

If the governor and our lawmakers can escape their fact-free zones and policy gurus, they might visit public schools - to listen, watch and learn what it really takes to teach children.

[readon2 url="http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/editorials/stories/2011/04/30/teaching-isnt-as-simple-as-it-appears.html?sid=101"]Continue reading...[/readon2]

20 years after DeRolph case school funding in Ohio isn't fixed

Nate DeRolph knows a lot about how Ohio finances public education. Twenty years ago, a lawsuit bearing his name was filed in Perry County challenging the state's school funding system.

The case was filed by the Ohio Coalition for Equity and Adequacy of School Funding on behalf of children who were being educated in schools similar to DeRolph's.

[readon2 url="http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/education/20-years-after-derolph-school-funding-case-was-filed-school-funding-in-ohio-isnt-fixed"]Red more[/readon2]

OSBA Refutes Education Matters Report

A short while ago we brought to your attention a report by Ohio Education Matters that claimed their study revealed Ohio School Districts could save over $1 billion in non-instructional spending. At the time we thought that "Some of the extrapolations seem excessive".

It appears the Ohio School Board Association thought so too, and they commisioned a report to look at these findings.

On a related matter, our three organizations spoke out yesterday criticizing a recent study that claims schools are overlooking significant savings. An analysis prepared by Education Tax Policy Institute (ETPI) consultants refutes the report by Ohio Education Matters and the KnowledgeWorks Foundation claiming schools are leaving over $1 billion on the table because they are inefficient.

We commissioned the analysis by ETPI because we were skeptical of the validity of the “Benchmarking Ohioʼs School Districts: Identifying districts that get more for their money in non-instructional spending” report published by Ohio Education Matters, a subsidiary of KnowledgeWorks.

Here's their report

Analysis of Ohio Education Matters Benchmarking Report

GOP school privatization plan under scrutiny

No one thinks the house Republicans idea of a wild wild west of for-profit charter schools is a good idea.

They go too far for self-described conservative Terry Ryan of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, whose sister foundation sponsors about a half-dozen Ohio charter schools.

"Oh my goodness, have we not learned anything from the history of the last 10 years in Ohio?" asked Ryan.

"We believe in charter schools and competition, but for them to work effectively, there has to be strong accountability. This would bring us back in time to when we were a laughingstock nationally because of the poor quality of our charter schools."
[...]
"This is a blatant giveaway of public money to big Republican campaign contributors like David Brennan, who now will be able to enrich themselves even more at taxpayer expense," said Dale Butland, spokesman for Innovation Ohio.
[...]
Bill Sims, head of the Ohio Alliance for Public Charter Schools, also has concerns about the House proposals on for-profits - worrying that they could "take the public out of public charter schools."
[...]
A first read of the House version was discouraging for Perry White, founder and former executive director of Citizens Academy, a Cleveland charter school that has worked its way to an "excellent" rating from the state.

"If these provisions pass, Ohio will become the poster child for bad charter policy," White said in an email. "By weakening charter accountability, the Ohio House will unleash a tsunami of mediocrity."

There's even more questions being raised in this Dispatch article including the legality of this give-away to White Hat Management.

$3.1 billion in education cuts will force levies, larger classes

Gov. John Kasich recently stated he thinks Ohio public schools can adjust to the loss of $3.1 billion in state and federal stimulus funds this budget cycle without putting local levies on the ballot. He further stated that school boards and administrators need to make tough decisions.

The truth is that publicly elected school boards have been making difficult decisions for years. In many cases, public school districts have nothing left to cut. Districts across Ohio have made drastic reductions. They have laid off administrators, teachers and other staff. They've cut programs, transportation and extracurricular activities. They've even been forced to close schools. Local leaders have little left to cut, and the reductions in state funding will require them to go back to their communities' taxpayers for more money.

Many districts that are on the ballot this May have cut all they are legally allowed to cut and still do not have enough money to keep their schools open. We have seen districts across the state announce teacher layoffs and cuts in programs the same night they discuss the need for a levy. Unfortunately, levies will not bring back programs and teachers but merely allow districts to meet the state minimum requirements.

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