Ohio University Public Radio to air Ohio School Funding Radio Special

Contact: Olivea Oldham, Public Information Coordinator, (740) 593-4944, oldham@ohio.edu

ATHENS, Ohio (May 11, 2000) -- The Ohio Supreme Court has announced its decision today that Ohio's system of funding public schools is unconstitutional. The 4-to-3 decision orders the state to respond by June of next year. Listen to a special statewide call-in show on the court decision Monday, May 15 at 12:00 noon on WOUB-FM, Ohio University Public Radio.

Ohio Public Radio will explore the impact of the court's decision on the governor and the legislature, as well as on local school districts. Experts will offer their opinions, and will take questions from listeners. This radio special will be co-hosted by WOSU's Fred Andrle and Bill Cohen of the Ohio Public Radio Statehouse News Bureau. The beginning of the radio special will feature a five minute mini-doc so listeners will know the background of the dispute and the basics of how the court ruled. Following the mini-doc, there will be a panel of activists from both sides of the issue debating the ruling. The panel will in turn answer the big question­What happens now? Then, the special will open up for questioning from listeners over the phone.

Tune in to hear this special program, Monday, May 15 at noon on WOUB-FM, Ohio University Public Radio. And for more information about the court's decision, visit our web site at woub.org

The Ohio University Telecommunications Center, a unit of the College of Communication, operates two television stations--WOUB-TV/Channel 20 in Athens and WOUC-TV/Channel 44 in Cambridge--and six radio stations--WOUB-1340 AM, WOUB-91.3 FM, WOUC-89.1 FM, WOUH-91.9 FM, WOUL-89.1 FM and WOUZ-90.1 FM. The Center, a trusted community resource, uses the power of noncommercial television, radio and other media, such as the World Wide Web, to enrich the lives of children and adults in Southeastern Ohio and Western West Virginia through quality programs and educational services that inform, enlighten, inspire and entertain.