COLUMBUS, Ohio - Governor John Kasich is speaking out publicly about putting a CEO in charge of Youngstown City Schools.
He addressed opponents' claims that he didn't involve local stakeholders and the legislation was passed too quickly.

During a separate press conference about an ethane cracker plant Thursday, Governor John Kasich talked about putting a CEO in charge of Youngstown City Schools. He responded to opponents' claims that the local community was not included in the process.

"You know look I have been going to Youngstown as you know for four years warning people there that we were not going to tolerate continued failure of the schools," said Kasich.

The school board has since filed a lawsuit trying to stop the CEO plan. They claim that the legislation is unconstitutional and was passed illegally. 

"What do they want to do? They want kids to continue to fail?" questioned Kasich.

"People ought to be outraged when kids are trapped in failing schools. It's a disgrace. Call the Bishop of Youngstown. Ask him what he thinks about how we involved the community."

He also hinted at another issue on his radar while talking about Jim Tressel's involvement in the plan.

"Call Jim Tressel, the president of Youngstown State, and thank God Jim Tressel's back at that school and that institution needs further reform through the board there."

In regards to the criticism that the legislation moved too fast, Kasich said "I think it moved too slow. We lost kids for about nine years and thank God this has happened."

Attorneys for the Youngstown Board of Education have issues subpoenas have been issued to several community leaders, including Chamber of Commerce CEO Tom Humphries, Bishop George Murry and others to give depositions in the lawsuit.

The lawsuit seeks to prevent implementation of  House Bill 70, which the board contends is unconstitutional and was passed illegally.