Bryan Flannery calls for education reform: Former legislator wants to be governor to improve schools.

Byline: Lisa A. Abraham

Apr. 21--If any of the candidates running for Ohio governor had embraced Bryan Flannery's plan to improve the state's public education, the Democrat wouldn't likely be a candidate today. Before he decided to run for governor, Flannery, a former state representative, shopped around his plan for improving Ohio's schools to other Democrats and Republicans, hoping to find someone who would embrace it. He called U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland, Columbus Mayor Michael Coleman, Attorney General Jim Petro, Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell and Auditor Betty Montgomery. He even called U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich and talk-show host Jerry Springer, when it was rumored that they might run. But he got few responses. Those who did call back or agree to meet essentially answered "Thanks, but no thanks." "It wasn't going to happen with any of them," Flannery said. That's when he …