Columbus, OH - Civil rights activist Reverend Jesse Jackson held a press conference today in Columbus in support of Martha Harris, the woman removed from the Ohio Board of Education by Governor Kasich midway through her term. Harris participated in the press conference and was joined by members of teachers unions, faith leaders, and legislators.
Rev. Jackson called the act arbitrary and an abuse of justice and went on to question the morality of Harris's removal. Jackson said, "This is an example of what will happen without collective bargaining and the due process it provides".
Harris has since filed a federal lawsuit against Gov. Kasich saying that she was removed from the board without due process. She displayed the proclamation of her appointment to the board which declared her term as beginning on January 7, 2009 to December 31, 2012. She noted that she had never been notified on any wrong doing and only learned of her removal through the media. Harris went on to say,
"I want a chance to be heard. I worked hard and I'm proud of the role I played on the board to produce productive citizens".
