- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Ohio Lawmakers Accused of Sabotaging Public Schools, Hurting State's Economy
Letter writer says anti-public education agenda in Columbus is draining resources from classrooms and weakening workforce development.
Published on Feb. 13, 2026
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
A letter to the editor published on cleveland.com criticizes Ohio lawmakers for pulling money out of public schools and funneling nearly a billion dollars into private school vouchers. The writer, Robert Chalfant, argues this agenda is not only wrongheaded but is also dragging down the state's economy, as it leads to a shrinking workforce, lags in educational attainment, and workforce training programs that don't match employer needs. Chalfant calls for full, fair funding for public schools, workforce training aligned with real jobs, and leaders focused on outcomes over headlines.
Why it matters
Ohio's public education system is a key driver of the state's economic future, providing the skilled workforce that businesses need to thrive. By diverting resources away from public schools and into private school vouchers, state lawmakers are undermining this foundation and weakening Ohio's long-term economic competitiveness.
The details
According to the letter, Ohio's Statehouse politicians have been pulling money out of public school classrooms year after year and instead funneling nearly a billion taxpayer dollars into private school vouchers. This is draining the public schools that educate most Ohio kids of the funding they need for technology, trades training, and basic student support. The letter argues that this agenda is not just wrongheaded, but is also dragging down the state economy, as Ohio's workforce is shrinking, educational attainment lags other states, and many workforce training programs don't match what employers actually need.
- The letter was published on February 13, 2026.
The players
Robert Chalfant
A resident of Bentleyville, Ohio who wrote the letter to the editor published on cleveland.com.
Ohio Statehouse
The state legislature in Columbus, Ohio that the letter accuses of pulling money out of public schools and funneling it into private school vouchers.
What they’re saying
“Ohio's Statehouse isn't just failing our public schools; it's actively sabotaging them, and with them, Ohio's future.”
— Robert Chalfant (cleveland.com)
“Economists are sounding the alarm: This agenda isn't just wrongheaded, it's dragging down the state economy.”
— Robert Chalfant (cleveland.com)
What’s next
The letter calls for Ohio lawmakers to provide full, fair funding for public schools, develop workforce training programs that actually match real job needs, and elect leaders who prioritize educational outcomes over political headlines.
The takeaway
Ohio's public education system is critical to the state's long-term economic competitiveness, but state lawmakers' diversion of resources away from public schools and into private school vouchers is undermining this foundation and weakening the state's future workforce and economic prospects.
