• To recruit more minorities to serve as officers
• Schools reopen in the fall

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has promised that the state will add more oversight to Ohio’s law enforcement agencies to ensure accountability, as nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd in the hands of Minneapolis police officers continue.

“We must Improve law enforcement access to quality training; enhance transparency between police and the public; and recruit more minorities to serve as officers,” said Governor Mike DeWine.

“The vast majority of police officers are doing great job. We will bring uniformity to oversee police shooting.”

Governor DeWine said, “despite many good efforts over the years: Too many Ohioans are living in the shadows of opportunity. Too many Ohioans are living at the margins. There is racism in Ohio. There is inequity in Ohio. There are both economic and health disparities in Ohio.”

“I want to reiterate what I said last week: Protests expressing outrage are not only understandable, but they are appropriate. The vast majority of demonstrators are peaceful, they want to talk and get attention on very legitimate issues.”

“I believe that we all want the same things here.  Our goal should always be to recognize that each of us has intrinsic dignity. Each of us has intrinsic worth — not for what we do, but simply for who we are.”

According to Governor DeWine, “we are going to continue to make sure that our law enforcement officers have the proper training on implicit bias. We’re going to do more on de-escalation training for police officers. And we’re going to do more to create best practices for police departments on the use of force.

“We are going to continue to prioritize the availability of mental health services for everyone who needs them and wellness efforts for all children in Ohio schools.”

“We are going to continue to focus on home visiting programs for at-risk, first-time moms. We are going to continue to fight the drug epidemic in Ohio.

He said that “the legislature and I have, in a bipartisan way, have laid down a foundation.  Is it enough?  No.  But this Legislature and I have worked to do things that will make a difference. Still, we must go further, and I will be reaching out to the General Assembly to work on these issues.”

“In my inaugural address as your Governor, I laid out the values that would guide this administration — the values and principles that are a part of who I am and that serve as the foundation for all of our policy decisions.”

“The essential function of government is to protect the most vulnerable among us — those to paraphrase the late United States Senator Hubert Humphrey — who are in the dawn of life, in the twilight of life, and in the shadows of life.”

Also, Governor DeWine announced that, as of right now, Ohio intends to reopen schools in the fall, but individual starting dates will be up to each local school board.

In the near future, broad reopening guidelines will be issued for schools in regard to protecting the health of students and staff when the school year resumes.

Meanwhile, as Columbus City Schools closes out the 2019-2020 school year, the District’s newly-formed Reopening Task Force is planning for how CCS may welcome back students and staff to open the 2020-2021 school year.

“This school year certainly did not end how anyone could have ever predicted,” said CCS Superintendent/CEO Dr. Talisa Dixon.

“With the COVID-19 pandemic still upon us, it is important that we begin our preparations now to welcome back our 50,000 students and 9,000 staff members for the 2020-2021 school year. There are still many unknowns and uncertainties as we look ahead, but our focus is on making the best decisions to protect the health and safety of our students and staff.”

Dr. Dixon created the Reopening Task Force to proactively create a plan for returning to school buildings that adheres to guidelines and recommendations from local, state, and federal health officials while also providing equitable academic opportunities for all students.

The task force is charged with developing a plan to address the potential scenarios and unanswered questions that the District may face in implementing one or both of the following two options:

1. A robust K-12 Online Academy for the 2020-2021 school year for parents who prefer to keep their children at home full time.
2. A blended learning model that combines days of in-person instruction with days of online instruction, interventions, and conferences.

Columbus City Schools will be applying for a waiver from the Ohio Department of Education to operate a full-fledged K-12 online school. This option would go above and beyond the virtual learning curriculum that CCS students and families have experienced while schools have been closed over the past two months.

“We know that a return to the traditional school model is not feasible for the start of next year,” said Dr.  Dixon.

“There will need to be some combination of respiratory etiquette, use of masks and personal protective equipment, and social distancing requirements in place to protect the health and safety of students and staff. Even with the challenges to meet health guidelines in our schools, we are still responsible for providing rigorous, engaging, and equitable academic opportunities for all students district-wide.”