Candisky Re-Mixed - Two Takes on OBE and Zelman - Updated with Text Examples

For those interested in the ongoing story of Strickland's quest to get a more sympathetic Superintendent of Education, there are two very interesting articles online.

1) www.dispatch.com has Catherine Candisky's take.
2) blog.dispatch.com/dailybriefing has Catherine Candisky's take

That's not an error. The stories appear to share a common source, but are edited differently. The first emphasizes the discomfort that some on the Board of Education are feeling with searching for a replacement for someone who hasn't left, and the role the governor is playing in it. The second minimizes this and focuses on the case for replacing her ASAP.

Compare:

During a two-hour meeting in Columbus last night, some members said the next superintendent must be able to navigate Ohio’s political terrain and build strong relationships with the governor, legislature, educators and school districts.

John Haseley, Gov. Ted Strickland’s chief of staff who also attended the meeting, told members that the governor wants a superintendent who understands Ohio values and the importance of education – kindergarten through college – to the state's economy. Finding an Ohioan for the job would be desirable, he and several members agreed.

The subcommittee also concurred that it should utilize a search firm but questioned where the money would come from. The board paid $80,000 to the search firm which found Zelman a decade ago.

Earlier yesterday, some board members said the meeting seemed premature.

“It's a little awkward,” said Coleen D. Grady, a board member from Strongsville. “She is still the superintendent. She has not tendered her resignation or given a timeline for her departure."

Susan M. Haverkos, a board member from West Chester, said she is uneasy about discussing Zelman's replacement before she's announced she's leaving.

“When I first heard about this I was afraid we were being driven by someone else's agenda,” Haverkos said.

with:

While some on the 19-member panel feel they should wait until Zelman resigns before looking for her replacement, board president Jennifer Sheets said the search will take months so it makes sense to get started.

During a two-hour meeting last night in Columbus, the search subcommittee agreed the ideal candidate would be an Ohioan.

"Someone who understands Ohio culture," said Stephen Millett, a board member from Columbus.

Members also said the next superintendent must be able to navigate Ohio's political terrain and build strong relationships with the governor and legislature.

"We wouldn't be here if we had that now," said Eric Okerson, a board member from Cincinnati.

If you're looking for media bias, I think you've found it in at least one of these two pieces. It's just difficult to say if it's the first, the second, or both.