DAYTON — Carl Wick, the state school board member from Centerville, has sent a letter to Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland defending state Superintendent Susan Zelman from what Wick described as "brutally critical comments" about her by the governor.

In the letter, dated Friday, March 14, Wick noted that Zelman had 100 percent support from the state board in her last performance evaluation and credited her as being "the single catalyst in improving and moving Ohio public education forward."

Wick was reacting to comments Strickland made to the editorial board of the Cincinnati Enquirer that were reported last week in which he said Zelman was not a good leader and did not have a vision for education. Describing Zelman as "an academician, a psychometrician, a statistician," Strickland said he preferred a "visionary leader" in the mold of Eric Fingerhut to lead the education department.

Fingerhut, a former Democratic legislator, was Stickland's choice last year to lead the state's system of colleges after the legislature gave him the authority to appoint the chancellor.

Strickland has now proposed taking the same model to K-12 education, asking lawmakers to demote the state board of education to an advisory role and empower him to name a director of education who would supervise the state superintendent.

Wick said he thought Strickland's comments were out of line and that he has failed to work cooperatively with the state board of education.

"Your goal is certainly not to establish collaboration with Dr. Zelman or to establish a relationship with the state board," Wick wrote. "This is sad because, in my opinion, it could have been favorably productive for you."

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2485 or selliott@DaytonDailyNews.com.