Education

The April 2012 installment of SOCHE TALKS featuring Bob Brecha, from the University of Dayton on putting Why We Need a Renewable Energy Revolution.

One of Ohio's largest districts is cutting about 10 percent of its teaching staff next school year to save an estimated $20 million as it copes with a budget hole twice that size.

The Cincinnati school board voted Wednesday to eliminate 237 instructors, including 35 who would be laid off. The Cincinnati Enquirer reports 112 of the job cuts are retirements or resignations and 90 are long-term substitutes.

Leaders in the district of 32,000 students say cuts in state and federal funding are to blame.

Officials in a central Ohio city have proposed giving Ohio University more than 70 acres to build a medical college.

Ohio State University is increasing its student financial aid by $50 million over the next four years with a new merit-based scholarship and added need-based grants.

The university says the new "Eminence Scholars" program will be its most prestigious merit-based scholarship. It provides four-year, full-ride scholarships and a $3,000 one-time stipend to 50 students annually, including 40 from Ohio. It is being offered for the first time this year to high school seniors.

A federal lawsuit has been filed in Cincinnati on behalf of a gay student who says his high school is violating his freedom of expression rights by prohibiting him from wearing a T-shirt urging tolerance of gay students. Maverick Couch's mother filed the lawsuit Tuesday against Wayne Local School District and its high school principal. The lawsuit says Couch, a junior, was threatened with suspension if he wears the shirt bearing the message "Jesus Is Not a Homophobe." The lawsuit says school officials told him the shirt is sexual in nature and inappropriate at school.