If you were a governor, would you ever appoint someone to a state board, just because of his or her race? Of course not, that would be racism, even if that person's race has been historically underrepresented on that board, and the board's mission involves tackling persistent racial inequalities! That's why Ohio Governor John Kasich wants to make it absolutely clear that when he says "On any board you want some diversification" in regards to his appointment of an ex-Ohio State quarterback to the state's Board of Education, he is not referring to the fact that the dude is black, but rather to his background. His background involves not graduating from college, and not submitting an application for the job, and completely making up the supposed charter school that he claims to have founded . Also he lives in the country and maybe he's kind of Jesus-y?
Stanley Jackson (Mr. Jackson if you're nasty, or if you're addressing him politely) did not submit a resume for his fancy new job on the Ohio Board of Education, but since already has a Wikipedia page highlighting the fact that he was on the Buckeye team that won the Rose Bowl in 1997 , he obviously doesn't need one because that is the 21st century equivalent. The Buckeyes were using a weird two-QB system that year and so the dramatic winning drive was actually led by Joe Germaine, who went on play in the NFL, but whatever! Stanley Jackson helped, and also played in the Canadian Football League and the "Continental Indoor Football League," whatever that is. Oh and also he never graduated from Ohio State, so he knows the value of a good education, which is to say that he knows that if the Montreal Alouettes come calling, why bother, amiright?
Anyway, everyone seems to think that being educated isn't really a necessity for being on the Board of Ed. Ohio law apparently has affirmative action for rural residents on its school board (really! quotas!) and Jackson is "a man of faith" (faith in Christ? Yes, that's a good bet) and it's a traditionally partisan appointment and that seems to be enough for everybody. A Democratic state senator who used to be on the school board says that "His background doesn't sound like historical qualifications for the position, but there are no specific qualifications except a willingness to work hard."
Somewhat more troubling is Jackson's status as "the founder of Masters Preparatory Academy Charter School a singer [sic] gender school for African American males," since it's apparently illegal for someone involved in a school to serve on the Board of Ed . But that's OK, because it turns out that this school doesn't really exist, so how can it be illegal for Jackson to run it? Check and mate, college-educated haters. [ Plunderbund / Raw Story / Columbus Dispatch ]
Is our children learning? Then stop them!
Oh jeez, does the style of shitty sports journalism that used to be artfully skewered by Fire Joe Morgan now pervade "serious" news too?