Former Congressman Dennis Kucinich is on the attack against Ohio's charter-school industry — and associated "corruption" within the General Assembly.

More than three years removed from eight terms in the U.S. House, the former Cleveland mayor and presidential candidate surfaced to stage a Statehouse news conference on Monday.

Asked if he is running for governor next year, the Democrat responded: "I'm not going to get into that — politics."

Kucinich also plans four town halls this week to dissect privately operated for-profit charter schools "bleeding" $10 billion in funding from public schools since 1999. The Columbus meeting will be at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at First Unitarian Universalist Church, 93 W. Weisheimer Rd.

The one-time state senator said that he wants to inform Ohioans of a fact they likely don't know about charter-school funding: When a student enrolls in a charter school, the per-student share of state funding to his or her public-school district follows the student to their charter school. Public districts have long argued that charters also drain away local tax dollars.

"Public education's financial base is being destroyed by private, for-profit corporate interests," Kucinich said. "When state revenue for public schools decreases because of money which goes to private for-profit charters, public school officials must make up the difference by asking local property taxpayers for more money."

Charter schools are privately run, non-profit public schools, a number of whom are run on an day-to-day basis by for-profit operators.

"It represents a deliberate, destructive undermining of the public education of Ohio's children," he said. "What is our educational philosophy today? Let for-profit corporations exploit the mass of children by controlling the state government?" he asked.

Kucinich attacked what he called as a "pay-to-play' culture among majority legislative Republicans who have accepted millions of dollars in campaign contributions from charter-school operators, notably William Lager of the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow and David Brennan of White Hat Management. Lawmakers are auctioning off public education funds to the "highest bidder," he said.

The privatization of K-12 schools has further undermined the adequacy of funding for public schools that still remain overly reliant on local property taxes and property wealth contrary to Ohio Supreme Court rulings, he said.

Kucinich said he plans to work with experts to present a report to the General Assembly in January on the impact of charters on public schools. He also said he is working with legal experts to determine if the funding and operation of charter schools can be challenged in court.

Ron Adler, president of the Ohio Coalition for Quality Education, a charter-school industry group, said, "Parents have the right to choose their school and we believe the state should fund students — not buildings or districts." Charter schools receive about 50 percent less per-student funding than many public districts, he said.

"Why are students leaving their schools to migrate to charter schools?" he asked. "Parents have chosen these schools because they feel they provide better educational outcomes."

rludlow@dispatch.com

@RandyLudlow