Friday, July 16, 1999
Heimlich: Schools, mailer no conflict
Citizen objects to councilman's letter
BY DANA DiFILIPPO
The Cincinnati Enquirer
It was the letterhead that caught William Gordon's attention — and his anger: “Councilmember Phil Heimlich.”
Mr. Gordon said the letterhead gives unfair weight to the mailer from the Cincinnati councilman, who has blanketed the Tristate with letters urging parents to consider charter schools for their children and attend his school-choice fair Saturday.
The mailer, which was funded privately, doesn't reveal Mr. Heimlich's sponsorship of four charter schools in Cincinnati. The Riverside Academy and Life Skills Center will open this fall, and another two will open next fall.
This week, Ohio Department of Education officials approved a final contract for the Life Skills Center, which will enroll 90 students who have dropped out of school or risk dropping out. A site isn't set yet. Riverside will enroll 330 children in kindergarten through sixth grade in Sedamsville.
“By using his title as council member in letters, he's using his public position to get attention for the charter school movement in general and his schools in particular, and I don't think that's appropriate,” said Mr. Gordon, whose son attends Cincinnati Public Schools' Fairview German Language School in Clifton.
Mr. Heimlich counters that he has made no secret of his support of school choice.
Earlier this year, he declared himself a “clearinghouse” of information about school choice in Greater Cincinnati. He also is midway through a series of community meetings in which private and charter school leaders talk about their schools and solicit students.
Besides, he said, he stands to gain nothing from his involvement. His schools and their governing boards are nonprofit.
“I am donating my time to provide information to families on the variety of school choices available to children,” Mr. Heimlich said. “I believe that every child is entitled to a decent education, and that should not depend on what part of town he comes from or how much money his family has.”
State law requires that charter schools and their boards be nonprofit, said LeeAnne Rogers, an Ohio Department of Education spokeswoman.
A board can hire a for-profit company, such as the White Hat Management Co. of Akron, to manage its school. White Hat will manage Mr. Heimlich's schools.
SCHOOL CHOICE FAIR
Cincinnati City Councilman Phil Heimlich will sponsor a school fair at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Albert B. Sabin Cincinnati Convention Center.
Parents can visit 25 booths hosted by Cincinnati Public Schools, the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, private schools and charter schools. Mr. Heimlich is the sponsor of two charter schools to open this fall.
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