My Letter

I got enough people excited yesterday that I excited myself into action. Here is my thrust to the Ohio Legislature:

"I am a retired high school agriculture education instructor/FFA Advisor and a member of the Career and Technical Education teaching profession. I am very concerned with the Governor’s proposed Education Reform Plan and it’s effect on Career and Technical Education in the state of Ohio.

Please seriously consider the changes in Agricultural Education and Career Technical Education. I ask that all Career and Technical Education programs be studied in their entirety, this includes agriculture education programs. The Governor’s plan is to maintain all Career Centers/Joint Vocational Schools at a modest funding for the next two years while the Career Technical Education Programs can be studied.

I am concerned because the current Governor’s Education Reform plan reduces the number of Career and Technical Education Instructors and would eliminate over 300 jobs from schools around the state. The plan also removes Weighted Funding which is a critical funding plan for successful Career and Technical Programs. This abolishment would result in a disconnection of year-round instruction through students’ Supervised Agriculture Experience programs, teacher professional development, student participation in Career Development Events, and much more. Finally, the Governor’s plan would remove 5th Quarter Funding, year-round education, and the Ohio Young Farmer programs, both an essential part of a complete Agricultural Education program.

Our local programs are very successful. Each year our instructors work with hundreds of young adults to prepare them for their future career. Our students and their parents, school and community are proud of my students’ accomplishments at the local, state, and national levels. Our students deserve the opportunity to learn and grow in an agriculture education program.

I appreciate your time and consideration of this matter. Our students thank you also.

Sincerely,

Ed Winkle
3308 Martinsville Road
Martinsville, Ohio 45146
937-685-9365

I sent this as an email to the Governor, House of Representatives and Senate yesterday. Today I mail the hard copies and keep contacting their offices by phone. In the process I learned that an old friend was elected as Representative in a nearby district.

This is a very important time of decision making in local, state and federal governments as we decide as a people how to allocate limited funds. I have been spurred to campaigns like this one all my professional life but I don't think this has ever been important as now.

Tea Party or not, contact your legislators. They need to know what you think and what you support. I have already talked to two of them and heard back from two others!

Sincerely,

Ed Winkle