in 1994 when he ran for a full four-year term. He moved to Minster, in northern Ohio, in 1996 to run against Virginia E. Jacobs for the First District seat on the Ohio State Board of Education and lost. In 1997, 1999, and 2001, he ran for the Board of Education of the Miamisburg City School District in Montgomery County and came in last all three times. In 2001, he was last in a field of six, receiving 993 votes (9.135%). In 1998, he again ran against Fessler in the Third District and again lost. Griffin campaigned against school vouchers and for reform of school funding in Ohio. In 2002, Griffin again sought a seat on the State Board of Education. The Dayton Daily News that year ran a series of scathing pieces about Griffin's behavior during his first term on the state board and his tax problems. Dennis Lieberman, chairman of the Montgomery County Democratic Party, stated "He has constantly been an embarrassment to our whole community." Nevertheless, Griffin unseated Third District incumbent Carl Wick to return to the State Board of Education. Immediately after the election, party leaders in Dayton vowed they would try to remove him from office and the Daily News ran more scathing opinions – one writer called him a "rat" – but Griffin served on the board until his death. "I am so disillusioned with our electorate," Lieberman said after Griffin's election. Griffin died at Middletown Regional Hospital in Middletown, Ohio at age 78. "He was an advocate for children, and his work on the state board of education reflected his desire to see all Ohio students succeed in the classroom," said J.C. Benton of the Ohio Department of Education upon the occasion of Griffin's death. See also Election Results, U.S. Representative from Ohio, 8th District Election Results, U.S. Representative from Ohio, 4th District List of Knights of Columbus References Leigh Allan. "Griffin conduct confounds." Dayton Daily News. January 11, 2003. "Appoint the State School Board." (Editorial). The Plain Dealer. April 7, 1995. The Associated Press. "State Board Member Owes Taxes". The Plain Dealer. November 20, 1992. Jim Bebbington and Mark Fisher. "Parties aim to oust new school board member". Dayton Daily News. November 22, 2002. "John W. Griffin". Dayton Daily News. March 26, 2006. Mark Fisher. "Critics say education board member isn't making the grade". Dayton Daily News. August 7, 1994. Mark Fisher.