Ohio's state school board has picked a top education adviser to Republican Gov. John Kasich as the new superintendent of public instruction. Richard Ross was selected over Acting Superintendent Michael Sawyers on Tuesday by a 10-6 vote of the State Board of Education. Democrats are blasting the choice of Ross, who has worked closely with Gov. Kasich on his budget and other education policy. But Ross says he's been hired by the state school board now, and is not an agent of the governor.
"I will be working for the State Board of Education," says Ross. "I will be advocating, as I was before, for the boys and girls of this state. I think by having worked with the governor and the legislature, both with the House and the Senate, I think it gives me a unique opportunity to advocate for positions of the State Board with the governor"
The two finalists arose from a list of 30 applicants from 14 U.S. states, New Zealand and Bangkok attracted in a national search. It's the second time in as many years that the board has picked a new schools chief.