The Power of Participation
By Julie Rine, Minerva Local Education Association
W
hen I started teaching 20 years ago, some colleagues taught me some very important tricks of the trade: how to get on the janitor’s good side, how to sweet talk the secretary into making last minute copies for me, how to drink cheap beer (on a young teacher’s salary, that might have been the most important lesson!).
And then one of those friends invited me (dragged me) to a negotiations committee meeting. I was a member of the association, but really had no interest in getting involved, primarily because I had absolutely no idea what the union did or how it did it.
I remember he said being on the negotiations committee was a good place to start, because one of the most important jobs of the union was to represent the teachers at the table, to work with the administration of the district to make gains that would better serve the students and teachers of the district.
Looking back, I know that he was trying to get younger teachers involved in the work of the local association, as I do now. It’s important that the ideals and goals of the union pass down from one generation to the next and that we keep getting stronger each time the leadership changes. That colleague is retired now, but I think he would be proud of my involvement with the union that all began with one meeting where we brainstormed the needs we wanted to present to the administration at our contract negotiations that year.
Since then, I have served as Vice President and an at-large representative for our local association (we really need a more flattering title for that position!) and I have represented our association on various committees. I have helped screen local political candidates, attended regional events such as the legal update dinner and the annual meeting with state legislators, and last year I participated in the Representative Assembly in Columbus.
“We might be individuals with different beliefs, experiences, and priorities, but together we form a unit to be reckoned with, one that proudly uses its power and strength to advocate for Ohio’s kids.” — Julie Rine
I’ll admit that the first time I went to the ECOEA Legal Update dinner, it was because it is held at a local restaurant known for good Amish cooking and fantastic pies. I still go back every year, but not just because of the pie; it is truly interesting to hear what court cases and legal issues are affecting teachers in Ohio (and frankly, sometimes quite horrifying!).
This was the first year that I attended the dinner with legislators, but it will not be the last.
To actually have conversations with the men and women who have the power to make decisions that affect education in Ohio is an opportunity that cannot be taken for granted. The State School Board members who joined us that night seemed just as frustrated as we are at the recent actions of several members of the Board.
The legislators answered our questions as best as they could, and it was evident that many of them truly have a heart for education and a desire to stop the madness that public education in Ohio has had to endure under Kasich’s leadership.
Not every question we submitted was presented to the panel that night due to time constraints, but every single submitted question was sent to the panel members afterward. Those men and women now know exactly what issues evoke our anger and our passion, and they will be able to better represent us 
because of that three-hour event.
It was by default that I became our local association’s delegate to the Representative Assembly last year. Each spring, my local asks for people to indicate interest in serving on various committees or being our delegate to the RA. No one wanted to be the delegate. We have a very small budget for the delegates, and it’s actually possible to lose money by going to both fall and spring assemblies. I had no idea what to expect, but I and one other colleague agreed to go.
We held the election in the fall to make it official, but we were the only options. Because I was unable to attend the ECOEA RA prior to the one in Columbus, I did not get the delegate handbook until I arrived, but if I were to do this again, I would definitely get the handbook earlier; it explains what will be voted on, and gives many other details that would have kept me from going in blind.
At the assembly, I saw our union in action. There were the usual organizational tasks, budget reports, etc. (and I’ll confess this English teacher might have zoned out on the numbers, but I’m sure the math teacher delegates were paying attention!). What fascinated me most was the presenting of new business, new concerns and suggestions of issues on which the OEA should take an official position.
One of the issues that came up that year was whether or not there should only be one assembly per year, partly because of the financial strain two meetings can put on small districts like mine. On this issue and others, delegates from all over the state and from every local association could and did approach the microphones to make their opinions known, to make suggestions for language changes, and to offer compromises when the supporters of two opposing viewpoints seemed to be at complete odds with each other. The debates were respectful and orderly; a vote was held and the voices of our members were heard.
One way of getting involved in the union that I have not yet experienced is an annual OEA Lobby Day, and I look forward to participating in that at some point. First, though, I better practice a lot more yoga and deep breathing, because I have a feeling it would be a challenge to keep my temper in check if I ever met some of our current legislators.
If you are not involved in your local or district association, I urge you to consider being more active next year. Join a committee, or attend a yearly regional meeting of some sort (if you’re lucky, one with good pie!).
It might seem like just another meeting after school or just another annual event, but every time an association member is active in any way, our power grows. We might be individuals with different beliefs, experiences, and priorities, but together we form a unit to be reckoned with, one that proudly uses its power and strength to advocate for Ohio’s kids.
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Ohio Educators Give Senator Portman A Civics Lesson On Judicial Appointment Process
Mounting Pressure In Ohio And Across The Country For Hearing And Vote On Supreme Court Nominee
COLUMBUS – March 29, 2016 – Ohio educators, who teach students every day about the U.S. Constitution, joined the growing number of citizens who want Senator Portman to #DoYourJob at events in Cincinnati and Columbus on Tuesday.
“Supreme Court nominees deserve a fair hearing and an up-or-down vote. Both parties have always provided that respect to nominees,” said Maria Mueller, an AP Government teacher in the Mason City School District. “It’s what I teach my students every day, and we should expect the same from our elected officials.”
Events are taking place, in Ohio and across the country, nearly every day to apply pressure to members of the U.S. Senate to hold a hearing and vote on Judge Garland’s nomination.
“Senators should just do their jobs, instead of playing political games and delaying action on a Supreme Court nomination,” said Gina Daniels, a history teacher in Licking Heights. “It would be like me refusing to teach the Revolutionary War to my students. That’s unacceptable.”
Polling has found that the majority of Ohio voters think that the vacant seat on the Supreme Court should be filled this year. Editorial boards across the state, including the Cincinnati Enquirer, Columbus Dispatch and the Cleveland Plain Dealer – which called Portman’s stance “a mistake” – have criticized Senator Portman’s refusal to do his job and fulfill his constitutional duty.” The Toledo Blade recently called Portman’s stance on the Supreme Court nomination “indefensible.”
“I agree with the 58 percent of the American public, who want President Obama to nominate someone to the Court rather than leave it vacant. It’s disheartening to think the entire justice system could come to an impasse because Republican Senators want to shape future decisions based on politics. Let’s tell the Republican Senators to do their job,” said U.S. Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-3rd District).
Last week, U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) became the third Republican Senator to buck party leadership and support hearings for Garland: “I would rather have you (constituents) complaining to me that I voted wrong on nominating somebody than saying I’m not doing my job. … I can’t imagine the president has or will nominate somebody that meets my criteria, but I have my job to do. I think the process ought to go forward.”
“We need more people to stand up and speak out about the obstructionism that is all too common in Washington,” said Columbus City Council President Zach Klein. “It’s right and fair for the U.S. Senate to hold a hearing on the president’s nominee to the highest court in the land.”
Already more than 350 law professors warned Congressional leaders that, ”A long-term vacancy jeopardizes the Supreme Court’s ability to resolve disputed questions of federal law, causing uncertainty and hampering the administration of justice across the country.”
“There are too many issues at stake – from education to voting to clean energy – for the Supreme Court to be down a member,” said Cincinnati Councilmember Wendell Young. “There are very real, very significant consequences for the American people if Senator Portman manages to leave the high court in limbo.”
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The Ohio Education Association (ohea.org) represents 122,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals in Ohio’s public schools, colleges and universities
OEA Applauds Supreme Court Decision To Reaffirm Collective Bargaining
WASHINGTON – March 29, 2016 – The U.S. Supreme Court today affirmed that public employers have a compelling interest in having strong and effective collective bargaining. The 4-4 decision in Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association leaves intact the sound law of Abood v. Detroit Board of Education that has been working for nearly four decades.
At issue in Friedrichs was whether non-union members could share the wages, benefits and protections negotiated in a collectively bargained contract without needing to pay their fair share for the cost of those negotiations. The case was brought by the Center for Individual Rights, an organization funded by corporate special interests that are pushing their own agenda. The National Education Association, the nation’s largest union with more than 3 million members, and the California Teachers Association, are two of the union respondents in the case in addition to the state of California. The Ohio Education Association (OEA) is NEA’s Ohio affiliate.
“We welcome today’s decision,” said OEA President Becky Higgins. “But we’re under no illusion that the threat posed by Friedrichs is over. There are some 30 similar cases making their way through the courts and any one of them could well make its way to the US Supreme Court. All of this underscores the importance of this year’s elections for President and the US Senate, and the resulting ability to fill the current and any future vacancy on the Supreme Court.”
“The U.S. Supreme Court today rejected a political ploy to silence public employees like teachers, school bus drivers, cafeteria workers, higher education faculty and other educators to work together to shape their profession,” said NEA President Lily Eskelsen García. “In Friedrichs, the court saw through the political attacks on the workplace rights of teachers, educators and other public employees. This decision recognizes that stripping public employees of their voices in the workplace is not what our country needs.”
The case was thinly veiled attempt to weaken collective bargaining and silence educators’ voices. In response, hundreds of amici curiae or “friends of the court” briefs weighed in to support the union respondents. Twenty-one states, dozens of cities, nearly 50 Republican lawmakers, school districts and public hospitals rose in support of the value fair share fees provide in terms of the effective management of public services. During oral arguments, lawyers for the respondents argued that the current fair share system is a good compromise and common sense solution. Ohio is a fair share fee state. The court’s decision today left that system in place nationwide.
“I’m thrilled millions of educators like me can continue to work together through their unions to advocate for the best teaching and learning conditions of their students,” said HaSheen Wilson, a network administrator at Youngstown State University and OEA member. “In an era when the rich just get richer while the poor seem to fall through the cracks, we need to come together and speak out for change — whether it’s smaller class sizes, training for educators, fair pay and benefits, healthcare or safer work environments.”
The Friedrichs case provided a vivid illustration of what’s at stake when it comes to the highest court in the land. It also was an example of how special interests are using the Supreme Court for political agendas rather than what the court was intended: interpreting and upholding the Constitution.
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The Ohio Education Association (ohea.org) represents 122,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals in Ohio’s public schools, colleges and universities
OEA Welcomes Congressional Passage Of The Every Student Succeeds Act
COLUMBUS – December 9, 2015 – The largest association of professional educators in Ohio today heralded the end of the “test, blame and punish” era of the No Child Left Behind Act with the passage in Congress of the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The new law puts educational decision-making back where it belongs – in the hands of local educators, parents and communities – while keeping the focus on students most in need. ESSA recognizes that student success is more than a test score by allowing states to gauge student achievement through multiple measures.
“ESSA recognizes that the one-size-fits-all approach to student achievement does not work,” said Ohio Education Association (OEA) President Becky Higgins. “ESSA will allow Ohio to reduce the amount of standardized testing. In doing so, students will have more time to learn and develop critical thinking, and teachers will have more time to teach and inspire the joy of learning. The measure also provides an opportunity for educators to have a greater voice in shaping education policy.”
Students and educators have lived with the unintended consequences of the failed No Child Left Behind (NCLB) for more than 14 years. OEA members advocated on behalf of Ohio’s students in the effort to turn the page on the failed NCLB law and to pass a new federal education law that provides more opportunity for all students.
Leading up to ESSA’s passage, educators in Ohio and across the nation used face-to-face meetings with lawmakers, made phone calls, sent emails and used social media to urge Congress to bring the joy of teaching and learning back to the classroom. Educators nationwide made nearly a half million individual contacts to members of Congress.
President Higgins also noted that ESSA includes provisions for greater charter school accountability and transparency that complement Ohio House Bill 2 that was signed into law last month.
“We welcome the provisions that call for stronger charter school accountability and transparency – something that has been lacking in Ohio for too long,” Higgins said, “and we applaud the hard work done by Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown to make sure these provisions were included in ESSA.”
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The Ohio Education Association (ohea.org) represents 121,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals in Ohio’s public schools, colleges and universities.
OEA Is Granted Temporary Restraining Order To Ensure The Voices Of Youngstown Educators Are Heard
COLUMBUS – December 2, 2015 – The Mahoning County Court of Common Pleas today issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) preventing Brenda Kimble, Youngstown Board of Education President, from appointing a relative, Carol Staten, to the Academic Distress Commission. The Ohio Education Association (OEA) and its affiliate, the Youngstown Education Association (YEA), sought the TRO because Staten is not currently a teacher in the Youngstown City School District.
OEA and YEA argued that Staten’s appointment violates state law that says one member appointed by the president of the Youngstown Board of Education shall be a teacher employed by the district.
“We are pleased that Judge Lou D’Apolito found merit in our complaint and agreed to stop the effort to deny Youngstown educators a chance to advocate for their students and improve the Youngstown City Schools,” said OEA president Becky Higgins. “We are committed to making sure that teachers are heard and can serve on this Commission as provided for under Ohio law.”
A hearing on a motion for a preliminary injunction is scheduled for December 14, 2015.
The Ohio Education Association represents 121,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals in Ohio’s public schools, colleges and universities.
Join the conversation @OhioEA and Like Us at OhioEducationAssociation
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The Ohio Education Association (ohea.org) represents 121,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals in Ohio’s public schools, colleges and universities.
Statement From OEA On The Court’s Decision To Deny A Preliminary Injunction In The Youngstown Case
COLUMBUS – October 13, 2015 – “Today’s decision will not deter us,” said OEA President Becky Higgins, “from continuing to find ways to give voice to the parents, educators and community in Youngstown who were silenced by the state takeover and who have a vital role to play in shaping the future of Youngstown’s public schools so that students have the high-quality education they deserve.”
‘We also remain concerned that the school-takeover provisions that were enacted could be applied to other districts in the state.”
The Ohio Education Association represents 121,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals in Ohio’s public schools, colleges and universities.
Join the conversation @OhioEA and Like Us at OhioEducationAssociation
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The Ohio Education Association (ohea.org) represents 121,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals in Ohio’s public schools, colleges and universities.
Educators Endorse Ted Strickland For The U.S. Senate
COLUMBUS – October 7, 2015 – The National Education Association’s political action committee, the NEA Fund for Children and Public Education, and the Ohio Education Association’s Fund for Children and Public Education (FCPE) have endorsed Ted Strickland for the U.S. Senate.
“Ohio educators are proud to endorse Ted Strickland for the U.S. Senate,” said OEA President Becky Higgins. “He is a proven champion of sound education policies. As Governor, Ted Strickland sought to ensure that every child had access to a quality education, regardless of where they live or what school they attend. As a member of Congress, he was an early skeptic of the proliferation of standardized testing. We are confident that he will continue to provide a much-needed voice for hard-working Americans, and will serve the best interests of educators and students in Congress.”
The NEA Fund made the endorsement on the recommendation of OEA’s FCPE State Council. In August, members of OEA’s FCPE State Council interviewed two US Senate candidates and recommended Ted Strickland to the NEA Fund. The NEA Fund, a federal political action committee, provides financial support to pro-public education candidates on the federal and state levels without regard to their party affiliation.
Join the conversation @OhioEA and Like Us at OhioEducationAssociation
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The Ohio Education Association (ohea.org) represents 121,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals in Ohio’s public schools, colleges and universities.
2014-2015 Member Resource Guide
Use this guide as an overview to help you make the most of your OEA Membership. Within, you’ll learn more about:
- Ways to Become Involved
- Fighting for Public Education
- OEA Staff, Leadership, and Board of Directors
- OEA Higher Education Benefit
- Awards and Scholarships
- Valuable NEA Member Benefits and Services
Throughout our more than 150-year history, OEA members have been involved in every struggle and effort to advance the finest of America’s dreams: a quality public education for every child.
If you have additional questions, contact us at 1-844-OEA-Info (1-844-632-4636) or send us an email to: membership@ohea.org.
Moved recently? Contact the OEA Member Hotline to update the address on file at 1-844-OEA-Info (1-844-632-4636) or email, membership@ohea.org. Representatives are available Monday-Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. | OhioSchools — Past Issues
Oh Yes, We’re Social — Join the Conversation!
April 2014 Ohio Schools
- IN THIS ISSUE
- Throughout Ohio, Read Across America festivities aim to promote the importance of reading with children every day
- Members unite in a Call to Action at OEA’s 2014 Collective Bargaining Conference
- Legislative update, Association news, and more
Moved recently? Contact the OEA Member Hotline to update the address on file at 1-844-OEA-Info (1-844-632-4636) or email, membership@ohea.org. Representatives are available Monday-Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. | OhioSchools — Past Issues
Oh Yes, We’re Social — Join the Conversation!
February 2014 Ohio Schools
- IN THIS ISSUE
- When educators at Springfield’s Snowhill Elementary School saw problems with the Third Grade Reading Guarantee, they decided to do something about it
- Are you ready for Read Across America Day?
- Legislative update, Association news, and more
Moved recently? Contact the OEA Member Hotline to update the address on file at 1-844-OEA-Info (1-844-632-4636) or email, membership@ohea.org. Representatives are available Monday-Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. | OhioSchools — Past Issues
Oh Yes, We’re Social — Join the Conversation!