OEA to continue fighting for pension security in wake of STRS election
“The Ohio Education Association thanks Arthur Lard for his unwavering commitment to our pension security and the long-term health of the system for all active, retired and future teachers during his time on the STRS Board.
As the Board moves forward, it is more important than ever that every teacher in Ohio takes an active interest in the work of the STRS Board. STRS must make good on its promise to ensure that every teacher receives a guaranteed pension they can’t outlive, not just for active and retired teachers today but to make sure we can continue to bring excellent educators into the profession in the future to serve Ohio’s students. Risky investment schemes that undermine the future of the pension cannot be tolerated.
STRS faces difficult challenges in the years ahead, including market instability and growing inflation, and the work of the STRS Board will be critical if our pension system is to weather those storms. We wish Pat Davidson the best as he assumes his new responsibilities on the Board. We also look forward to working with all members of the STRS Board to ensure that all members, current and future, have a pension they can count on for the rest of their lives.”
OEA applauds public education investments in House-passed budget
“The Ohio Education Association applauds the Ohio House for prioritizing the students of our state in the budget bill passed in that chamber this week. This budget includes significant investments in public schools—including a plan to increase the minimum teacher salary to address growing teacher shortage issues—and it promotes a number of sound public education policies, like repealing the punitive mandatory retention provision of the Third Grade Reading Guarantee while maintaining an emphasis on the importance of literacy for our children. Additionally, this budget proposal makes school breakfast and lunch accessible to more children by having the state cover the difference in the cost between free and reduced-price meals.
More importantly, the House has demonstrated its commitment to working to fully and fairly fund the public schools that serve 90 percent of students in our state. This budget measure increases state funding to public schools by nearly $1 billion over the biennium by ensuring updated data is used in the Fair School Funding Plan (FSFP) formula to determine the actual costs of providing an excellent education to every child while continuing to provide more of the funding necessary to fulfill that promise, when the FSFP is fully implemented. OEA thanks the House for taking this important step forward.
The budget bill now moves to the Senate for consideration, and OEA urges our state Senators to build on the positive momentum of the House’s work and pull back on the proposed expansion of voucher schemes that would amount to near universal eligibility in our state. The Senate must do the right thing for Ohio’s 1.6 million public school students, and OEA looks forward to working with lawmakers from both parties to ensure the best budget bill possible is adopted for the next biennium.
OEA would like to thank House Speaker Jason Stephens, Leader Allison Russo, House Finance Committee Chair Jay Edwards, and Ranking Member Bride Rose Sweeney for their bipartisan efforts to bring the budget to this point. The budget proposal they produced puts Ohio students first and shows that the House supports what Ohioans believe so strongly, that public education matters in our state.”
Hunger-Free Schools Ohio calls for immediate relief for child hunger crisis
“Every child in Ohio, regardless of where they’re from, what they look like, or how much money their parents make, needs to be able to eat full, nutritionally complete meals at school. Therefore, allowing them to focus on what they’re learning, not on the hunger pangs they’re feeling,” said Ohio Education Association President Scott DiMauro, who hosted Monday’s discussion on behalf of the Hunger-Free Schools Ohio coalition. “Although the pandemic-era federal programs that ensured every Ohio child could receive free meals at school have ended, there is more than enough money in Ohio right now to ensure no student goes without the meals they need.”
“Having meals provided for my child when universal meal programs were in place in Ohio made a huge difference in our lives. Now, every dollar we’re spending on meals is a dollar we can’t spend on the other things we need,” said Megan Thompson, a parent in the Wellington Exempted School District in Lorain County who shared her family’s story during the Hunger-Free Schools Ohio discussion this week.
“Our students are keenly aware of the difference having nutritious school meals makes in their days along with the struggles some of their peers face in trying to pay for those meals,” said Bluffton Middle School Principal Josh Kauffman, whose Allen County students hosted a bake sale to pay off the lunch debts of their classmates. “Unfortunately, there is a stigma around accepting necessary help to access school meals. But that stigma disappears when systems are in place to provide healthy school meals for all.”
“One in six children, and as many as one in four children in certain counties, lives in a household that faces hunger—that’s 413,000 kids across Ohio. School meals play an essential role in alleviating child hunger and improving child wellbeing. We hope lawmakers will prioritize our kids and school nutrition programs in this biennial budget by expanding critical access to school meals,” said Katherine Ungar, a Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio Policy Associate who wrote the “School Meals Support Ohio Student Health and Learning” white paper.
“It has been heartbreaking to see students who are unable to pay for their school lunches turned away from the nutritious food they need. Our dedicated cafeteria staff should never have to serve as both caring food service professionals and hard-hearted debt collectors,” said Daryn Guarino, Director of Food and Nutrition for Alexander Local Schools in Athens County.
“School meals are a basic need for every student to be able to learn and reach their full potential in our classrooms,” agreed Lindy Douglas, Special Programs Coordinator for Alexander Local Schools. “Especially here in rural Appalachia, where our kids already struggle to have a level playing field in so many ways, our kids can’t afford to have our state leaders fail to act on this urgent issue. Ohio lawmakers must act now to make sure every child is fed.”
ABOUT HUNGER-FREE SCHOOLS OHIO
We are a passionate collective representing more than 40 local and statewide anti-hunger, education, food, and nutrition organizations and associations who are working to take hunger off the table, committed to ensuring that every student in Ohio has access to healthy school meals. Learn more at hungerfreeschoolsoh.org
OEA lays out bold vision for 135th General Assembly
“This legislative session presents a tremendous opportunity to address school funding, the educator shortage, the well-being of our students and staff, and other issues that affect our members and the learners we serve,” OEA President Scott DiMauro wrote in a letter to state lawmakers and the governor laying out OEA’s legislative priorities for the 135th General Assembly.
“OEA looks forward to working collaboratively with lawmakers in both chambers and on both sides of the aisle to achieve these important goals for our students and the dedicated teachers, support professionals, and faculty members who work with them every day,” DiMauro said.
Priority education issues for this General Assembly to address include the following:
- Fully funding the Fair School Funding Plan
- Alleviating school staffing shortages
- Ending the expansion of private school voucher programs
- Repealing mandatory student retention under the Third Grade Reading Guarantee
- Supporting student and staff wellbeing
- Protecting the voice of educators by supporting unions and defending collective bargaining rights
More information about each of these legislative priorities can be downloaded here
All in for Ohio Kids responds to Gov. DeWine’s proposed budget
OOC Co-Executive Director Molly Shack, PMO Executive Director Hannah Halbert, OFT President Melissa Cropper, and OEA President Scott DiMauro released the following joint statement:
“No matter where they live or what they look like, all of Ohio’s kids deserve a public school that inspires their creativity, unlocks their potential, and nurtures their dreams. But according to the EdWeek Research Center, Ohio is among the least equitable states for education resource distribution in the country. While we recognize Governor DeWine’s commitment to continuing implementation of the Cupp-Patterson school funding formula, also known as the Fair School Funding Plan, we are calling on Ohio’s lawmakers to take bold action and implement full funding for that plan.
Fully and fairly funding Ohio’s public schools will give school districts a permanent, adequate, stable funding stream that will allow them to make necessary investments to meet the needs of students and address education staffing shortages. Legislators should also avoid competing funding obligations, such as an expansion of private school vouchers or charter schools, that would hinder our ability to fully fund the public schools that 90% of Ohio students attend.
For decades, Ohio policymakers had allowed unconstitutional funding guidelines to determine how resources flow to our public schools. The Fair School Funding Plan created a student-centered school funding formula which put us on the path toward finally meeting our constitutional obligation to Ohio’s students. However, without fully phasing in the necessary funding levels we are still falling short of what our children deserve.
Ohio’s students can’t wait any longer for lawmakers to deliver on the promise of world-class opportunities for all. We urge legislative leaders to finish what they started, refine the components of the school funding formula, and finally dedicate the resources needed for each and every Ohio student to succeed.”
All in for Ohio Kids represents a broad group of concerned organizations and individuals who are working together to fully and fairly fund our schools.
Social Links
ACTION ALERT – Urge your Legislator to Oppose HB 8
ACTION ALERT – Urge your State Representative to Oppose SB 83
RESOURCES
Resources from NEA
- Resources for Teaching About Indigenous Peoples
- Student and Educator Mental Health
- Safe School Communities
- School Gun Violence Prevention and Response Guide
- Context for Teaching Students with Autism
Read Across America
- Video recordings – Watch OEA-R and OEA members celebrate Read Across America by reading books
- Create and Celebrate a Nation of Diverse Readers – resources from NEA
Ohio Schools Magazine digital editions
- December 2024/ January 2025
- October/ November 2024
- 2024-2025 Member Resource Guide
- June/ July 2024
- February/ March 2024
- December 2023/ January 2024
- Ohio Schools archive
PRESS RELEASES
- December 21, 2024 – OEA celebrates passage of Social Security Fairness Act
- November 14, 2024 – OEA applauds leadership of STRS Board over the last decade that enabled move to reduce retirement eligibility age for a three-year period
- September 20, 2024 – OEA thanks Ohio Congress members from both parties for their work to move bipartisan Social Security Fairness Act forward
- September 13, 2024 – OEA Encouraged by Improved Student Outcomes for 2023-2024, but Notes More Work is Needed to Make State Report Cards a Useful Tool for Parents
- August 29, 2024 – OEA congratulates the 2025 OTOY
- July 1, 2024 – OEA congratulates CNP on ballot signature success
- June 20, 2024 – As teacher license fee hike looms, OEA calls for Controlling Board action
- Press Release archive
LEGISLATIVE WATCH RELEASES
- December 19, 2024 – Final Lame Duck Edition: The 135th General Assembly Adjourns; GPO-WEP Repeal Clears Key Hurdle towards Final Passage; “Forced Outing” Bill which Includes Release Time for Religious Instruction Policy Requirement Passes; “Proper” Interactions with Peace Officer Curriculum Repealed; Bill Dealing with Student Discipline Clears the Ohio General Assembly
- December 13, 2024 – Lame Duck Edition #4: SB 295: Senate May Pass Mandate to Close School Buildings Based on Test Scores; HB 432: Career-Technical Educator Licenses; SB 293 & HB 8: Religious Release Time Mandate Amended Into ‘Forced Outing’ Bill
- December 9, 2024 – Lame Duck Edition #3: Amendments Making Changes to Student Privacy Bill (Senate Bill 29) Clear Both Chambers; Ohio Senate Committee to Take Up School Closure Bill; Holds Hearing Controversial “Parents’ Bill of Rights” Legislation; Bill Dealing with Student Discipline Clears the Ohio House; Voucher Accountability Legislation Gutted in Committee; Senate Passes Bill Allowing Reemployed Retirees to Run for STRS Board
- November 22, 2024 – Lame Duck Edition #2: Legislative Caucuses Select Leadership Teams for the 136th General Assembly; Keep Up the Work to Pass the Social Security Fairness Act this Congress; OEA Supported Bills Receive Sponsor Testimony; View Committee Hearings in Ohio Channel Archive
- November 15, 2024 – Lame Duck Edition #1: Important Victory! U.S. House Passes GPO-WEP Repeal; Honesty Partners Host Webinar on Intellectual Freedom and Ohio Libraries; Bill to Increases Teacher Minimum Salary to $50,000 Receives First Hearing; Trans-Bathroom Bill Restrictions Go to Governor for Signature; School Bus Safety Bill Receives Amendments in House Transportation Committee; Career-Technical Licensure Bill Receives Hearings in Senate Committee; Religious Release Time Bills Get Committee Hearings
- November 8, 2024 – U.S. House to Vote on Repeal of GPO-WEP; Lame Duck Session for the 135th General Assembly begins Next Week; Release Time for Religious Instruction Bill Set for House Education Committee Hearing next week
- September 12, 2024 – This is our chance to end GPO-WEP
- August 23, 2024 – OEA Applauds State Controlling Board Decision to Approve Full Funding for the State Board of Education
- August 9, 2024 – U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown Calls for Vote on Repeal of GPO/WEP
- Legislative Watch archive
- Legislative Scorecard – An interactive Legislative scorecard for each member of the Ohio General Assembly
EVENTS – or visit the Master Calendar
- January 21 – OEA New President Power Hour: Helpful tips for successful negotiations
- January 22 – Wellness Wednesday: Slow Cooker Simple Creations
- January 25 – Cleveland CAVs vs Houston Rockets
- January 25-26 – Aspiring Educator/ONE Annual Conference
- February 2 – Cleveland CAVs vs Dallas Mavericks
- February 18 – OEA New President Power Hour: Best practices in communicating with your members and the community
- February 21 – Cleveland CAVs vs New York Knicks
- February 20-22 – 2025 Advocacy and Organizing Institute (AOI)
- February 22 – Wellness Wednesday: Virtual Paint and Sip
- March 2 – Cleveland CAVs vs Portland Trail Blazers
- March 7-9 – NEA Leadership Summit
- March 18 – OEA New President Power Hour: Your voice in the OEA Democratic Structure and resources available to you and your members
- April 15 – OEA New President Power Hour: “What If” Sharing problem-solving strategies
- May 28 – Wellness Wednesday: End of Year Let It Go Party!!
PUBLIC EDUCATION MATTERS PODCAST
Subscribe and Listen to Public Education Matters on a variety of podcast networks
Transistor RSS feed | Apple podcasts | Listen on YouTube | Spotify | Amazon music
Oh Yes, We’re Social — Join the Conversation!
Updated December 21, 2024
Ohio Education Association Candidate Recommendations
Ohio’s General Election is on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. Make sure educators voices are heard this November by making your plan to vote. Please see below for some important dates and links for information on voting in the upcoming General Election.
Important Dates
- Monday, October 7, 2024 – Deadline to register to vote and update registrations in advance of the General Election Boards of Election will be open until 9:00 PM for individuals to drop off registrations. See below links for how to check your registration status, register to vote, or update your registration online.
- Tuesday, October 8, 2024 – Early voting for the 2024 General Election begins. See links below for in-person early voting locations, dates, and times.
- Monday, November 4, 2024 – Absentee ballots must be postmarked by this date if returned by mail.
- Tuesday, November 5, 2024 – General Election: Polls are open from 6:30 AM to 7:30 PM and absentee ballots may be returned by 7:30 PM to your Board of Elections if not returned by mail.
Important Links
- To check your registration status, please click here.
- To register or update your registration, please click here.
- To find your county’s early voting location, please click here.
- To find the schedule for early in-person voting, please click here.
- To find out how to request a mail in ballot and vote by mail, please click here.
Click here to look up your current legislative district under the latest state maps.
As part of your voting plan, we urge all OEA members to check out the list of candidates recommended by the OEA members below. Many more candidate recommendations will be made after the Primary, so please continue to check for updates.
It is important to note that OEA members across the state—not OEA staff or leaders—make all the endorsement decisions. In each race, candidates from both parties are asked to fill out questionnaires describing their positions on education issues, and those who are state officeholders are also rated on their education votes in the General Assembly. Candidates are then interviewed by OEA members who work in the district or area in which candidates are seeking office. Based on the candidate’s views on public education issues—and only on public education issues—the OEA Fund State Council and District Screening Committees vote on whether to endorse specific candidates.
You can learn more about the OEA Fund and the screening process here.
**If viewing the recommended candidates list on a mobile phone or small screen, please rotate your device to a horizontal orientation for better viewing.**
| President and Vice-President | Kamala Harris (D)/Tim Walz (D) |
| US Senate | Recommended Candidate |
| US Senate – OH | Sherrod Brown (D) |
| Judicial Seat | |
| Associate Justice of the OH Supreme Court | Melody Stewart (D) |
| Associate Justice of the OH Supreme Court | Michael Donnelly (D) |
| Associate Justice of the OH Supreme Court (Unexpired Term) | Lisa Forbes (D) |
| Ohio House | Recommended Candidate |
| District 1 | Dontavius Jarrells (D) |
| District 2 | Latyna Humphrey (D) |
| District 3 | Ismail Mohamed (D) |
| District 4 | Beryl Brown Piccolantonio (D) |
| District 5 | Meredith Lawson-Rowe (D) |
| District 6 | Christine Cockley (D) |
| District 7 | Allison Russo (D) |
| District 8 | Anita Somani (D) |
| District 9 | Munira Abdullahi (D) |
| District 10 | Mark Sigrist (D) |
| District 11 | Crystal Lett (D) |
| District 12 | Brad Cotton (D) |
| District 13 | Tristan Rader (D) |
| District 14 | Sean Brennan (D) |
| District 15 | Chris Glassburn (D) |
| District 16 | Bride Rose Sweeney (D) |
| District 17 | No Position |
| District 18 | Juanita Brent (D) |
| District 19 | Phil Robinson (D) |
| District 20 | Terrence Upchurch (D) |
| District 21 | Eric Synenberg (D) |
| District 22 | Darnell Brewer (D) |
| District 23 | Daniel Troy (D) |
| District 24 | Dani Isaacsohn (D) |
| District 25 | Cecil Thomas (D) |
| District 26 | Sedrick Denson (D) |
| District 27 | Rachel Baker (D) |
| District 28 | Karen Brownlee (D) |
| District 29 | Cindy Abrams (R) |
| District 30 | Stefanie Hawk (D) |
| District 31 | Bill Roemer (R) |
| District 32 | No Position |
| District 33 | Veronica Sims (D) |
| District 34 | Derrick Hall (D) |
| District 35 | Mark Curits (D) |
| District 36 | No Position |
| District 37 | No Position |
| District 38 | No Position |
| District 39 | No Position |
| District 40 | No Position |
| District 41 | Erika White (D) |
| District 42 | Elgin Rogers, Jr. (D) |
| District 43 | Michele Grim (D) |
| District 44 | David Blythe (D) |
| District 45 | No Position |
| District 46 | Benjamin McCall (D) |
| District 47 | Vanessa Cummings (D) |
| District 48 | Scott Oelslager (R) |
| District 49 | Krista L. Allison (D) |
| District 50 | Matthew Kishman (R) |
| District 51 | No Position |
| District 52 | Gayle Manning (R) |
| District 53 | Joe Miller (D) |
| District 54 | No Position |
| District 55 | Laura Davis (D) |
| District 56 | Cleveland Canova (D) |
| District 57 | Jamie Callender (R) |
| District 58 | Lauren McNally (D) |
| District 59 | No Position |
| District 60 | Rachael Morocco (D) |
| District 61 | David Hagan (D) |
| District 62 | Katie Vockell (D) |
| District 63 | No Position |
| District 64 | Lauren Mathews (D) |
| District 65 | No Position |
| District 66 | No Position |
| District 67 | No Position |
| District 68 | No Position |
| District 69 | Jamie Hough (D) |
| District 70 | No Position |
| District 71 | No Position |
| District 72 | Nathaniel Adams (D) |
| District 73 | No Position |
| District 74 | No Position |
| District 75 | Haraz Ghanbari (R) |
| District 76 | No Position |
| District 77 | No Position |
| District 78 | No Position |
| District 79 | Monica Robb Blasdel (R) |
| District 80 | No Position |
| District 81 | James Hoops (R) |
| District 82 | No Position |
| District 83 | No Position |
| District 84 | Arienne Childrey (D) |
| District 85 | No Position |
| District 86 | Tracy Richardson (R) |
| District 87 | No Position |
| District 88 | No Position |
| District 89 | No Position |
| District 90 | Justin Pizzulli (R) |
| District 91 | No Position |
| District 92 | Mark Johnson (R) |
| District 93 | Jason Stephens (R) |
| District 94 | Wenda Sheard (D) |
| District 95 | Don Jones (R) |
| District 96 | No Position |
| District 97 | No Position |
| District 98 | No Position |
| District 99 | Louis Murphy (D) |
| Ohio Senate | Recommended Candidate |
| District 2 | Paloma De La Fuente (D) |
| District 4 | Thomas Cooke (D) |
| District 6 | Willis Blackshear (D) |
| District 8 | Louis Blessing, III (R) |
| District 10 | Daniel McGregor (D) |
| District 12 | No Position |
| District 14 | Shane Marcum (D) |
| District 16 | Beth Liston (D) |
| District 18 | Katie O’Neill (D) |
| District 20 | No Position |
| District 22 | No Position |
| District 24 | Tom Patton (D) |
| District 26 | Mohamud Juma (D) |
| District 28 | Casey Weinstein (D) |
| District 30 | Iva Faber (D) |
| District 32 | Michael Shrodek (D) |
| District 33 | No Position |
| U.S. Congress | Recommended Candidate |
| District 1 | Greg Landsman (D) |
| District 2 | |
| District 3 | Joyce Beatty (D) |
| District 4 | |
| District 5 | |
| District 6 | |
| District 7 | |
| District 8 | |
| District 9 | Marcy Kaptur (D) |
| District 10 | |
| District 11 | Shontel Brown (D) |
| District 12 | |
| District 13 | Emilia Sykes (D) |
| District 14 | |
| District 15 | Adam Miller (D) |
| State Board of Education | Recommended Candidate |
| SBOE 1 | Kristie Reighard |
| SBOE 5 | Mary Binegar |
| SBOE 6 | Chris Orban |
| SBOE 7 | Rhonda Johnson |
| SBOE 8 | Karen Lloyd |
| SBOE 11 | Delores Ford |
Oh Yes, We’re Social — Join the Conversation!
Updated September 17, 2024
A Teacher’s Brain Following Yet Another School Shooting…and Yet Another Misguided Response by Legislators
By Julie Holderbaum, Minerva EA/OEA
Another school shooting? 19 students killed? And two teachers?
He bought the AR-15s legally, just days after his 18th birthday? And bought another weapon just a few days after buying the first, with a high-magazine clip? Doesn’t anyone besides me see that there should be a red flag in some system somewhere that signals local police to check this person out?
Would it have made a difference in this case? Maybe not…but we will never know, will we?
Is this for real? Is a local group really raffling off an assault rifle as a fundraiser for a youth program? Are they really asking kids to sell tickets for an assault weapon when kids were just slaughtered with the same type of gun, to the point of needing a DNA sample to be identified? I’m not sure if there is ever a right time for that sort of fundraiser, but less than a month after Uvalde?
And now the legislature passed what? A bill to LOWER the number of required training hours to 24 for teachers to carry a weapon in school? Didn’t my daughter need 50 hours of behind-the-wheel training just to get a driver’s license? Why would a teacher, who is not in the field of law enforcement, need so few hours of training to carry a gun in a school?
How would that even work? Would it be a hand gun? Locked and loaded in a drawer somewhere? Is a handgun going to be any deterrent to a person carrying an assault rifle? Would I have time to get to it if I needed it? And how would I know I needed it? A loud noise in the hall? Would I get my gun and peek my head out to see if action is needed? Would eight other teacher heads be peeking out in my hallway, guns drawn?
If nothing was wrong and we grabbed our weapons in error, would the students in our classes be traumatized by seeing their teachers with loaded guns?
Or has this lockdown-drill-school-shooting cycle become so normalized to them that they wouldn’t even be phased at seeing the same people who teach them their ABCs or pre-calc wielding a dangerous weapon? And if so, what does that mean for the future of our country?
And what if the threat wasn’t in the hallway, but in my classroom? One of my students? Even if I could get to my gun, would I have the ability to shoot one of MY kids? Knowing he suffers from depression and can’t use our school resource mental health counselor because of insurance issues? Knowing his past experience with abuse? Knowing that he has not felt seen or heard or loved at home in years?
Could I shoot that kid?
And if I did use my gun, even if I saved lives, could I live with myself? What would the repercussions of pulling that trigger have for my own mental health? Would I ever be able to look at my students the same way again? Would they ever be able to see me in the same way again?
What if I hesitated? What if more were hurt because I struggled to pull the trigger? How could I ever teach again? How could anyone trust me again? How many lawsuits would I face because I didn’t act fast enough?
If trained law enforcement officers hesitated to enter Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, what makes anyone think teachers would be comfortable entering a spray of gunfire and endangering themselves? Especially with only 24 hours of training?
On the other hand, how many lawsuits would there be if I leapt into action, misread a situation, and shot an innocent person?
If we were required to actually carry our guns with us at all times, could I ever concentrate enough to teach effectively? How can I teach my students that words can change the world, that literature can move souls, that the power of a well-turned phrase can penetrate the hardest of hearts… while carrying a gun?
How’s that for a mixed message? Words have power, but guns are faster? Is that what we want to teach?
Beyond sending mixed messages, could I ever teach without constantly worrying about my weapon? About who is looking at it oddly today, about turning my back on anyone, about helping one student at her desk while my gun is about 2 feet away from the hands of the student in the desk next to hers? Would I have to keep one hand on my weapon at all times? As a TEACHER?
Surely I wouldn’t be required to carry a gun, though, right? I already check my classroom door multiple times a day to be sure it’s still locked; I already weigh the options of teaching with my door shut and locked for safety from shooters to teaching with it open to allow for more airflow and safety from COVID; I already jump at every odd sound or unannounced lockdown; how much worse would it be if I knew multiple people in our building were carrying guns?
This legislation won’t just affect the mental health of our students, will it?
I’m so tired of hearing that “the only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun”; if that’s true, why were weapons not allowed at the recent NRA convention in Texas? How could a room full of good guys with guns be a threat? Shouldn’t that be the safest place in the world? Why aren’t more responsible gun owners fighting for universal background checks, for a raise to the age limit to buy certain guns, for red flag laws, for a required waiting period before possessing a gun after purchase?
With so many Americans in favor of at least some reform to gun laws, are legislators who refuse to advocate for safer gun laws just afraid of losing their jobs? Afraid that without the money of the NRA and other pro-gun lobbyists they won’t be able to fund a successful campaign? That they would lose their power, their position, their ability to provide for their families? But don’t those same legislators force educators to live with those fears every day, knowing that if we teach about racism or other sensitive topics in the wrong way, we could lose our jobs thanks to their laws?
If they think we can’t be trusted to discuss elements of America’s troubled past or the current events of the day in a responsible manner, why would they deem us responsible enough to carry a gun in school?
When will our politicians put people over power? When will they set aside pride to work with the other side? When will the safety of our communities take precedence over an election?
If the politicians currently in office aren’t willing to make changes, is the blood of the victims of the next shooting on their hands….or on ours?
If this isn’t the time to persist in our efforts to persuade responsible gun owners to join the cause, when is?
If this isn’t the time to promise our children that we will do more than pause to remember the victims and pray that this never happens again, when is?
If this isn’t the time to preserve the sanctity of our classrooms as places of learning, belonging, and growing, when is?
If this isn’t the time to pursue real action by promoting politicians who run on a platform of actual changes to the law, when is?
If this isn’t the time to protest, when is? Aren’t the protest signs true? “The power of the people is greater than the people in power?”
Isn’t the truest form of political protest voting out those who have made empty promises but not practical efforts at positive change?
How many days until November?
A Typical Teacher’s Brain in an American Public High School on Any Given Day
By Julie Holderbaum, Minerva EA/OEA
Is Michael acting off today? Is he tired or just depressed? Should I pull him out into the hall and ask him if he’s okay or would it be worse to draw attention to him? Should I call home? Have his grades been slipping? Did he do the assignment that was due for me today?
Does Becky have her cell phone in her lap? Why isn’t it in the slot with the others? Is it worth calling her out on it? Right now or later, privately? Either way, do I want to risk setting her off when she’s been doing so well and we seem to be forging a tentative relationship? Is it a big deal if she isn’t actually using it? Has she been using it and I just haven’t seen it happen?
Why isn’t the Chromecast working? Why would it work last period and not this period? Is the internet down?
Why are we either freezing or frying? Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to regulate the heat in our own rooms?
Will I be accused of teaching divisive concepts if I lead a discussion about why we are not going to say the N word out loud when we read Of Mice and Men? Will the kids go home and tell their parents what we talked about? Do kids still do that? Do parents still ask? Is this book worth the battle it might lead to or should I just teach Fahrenheit 451 instead? Wouldn’t that be ironic? Isn’t this exactly what those who scream about CRT being taught want? For teachers to fear the repercussions and give in to temptation to just teach “safe” material instead? So that the status quo will keep on keeping on and generations of kids will continue to grow up in the dark about so much of the ugly side of America’s history? Is it worth the fight this might bring? Well, it’s obviously worth the fight, but am I mentally and emotionally up for this battle, this year especially?
More importantly, will my black students be uncomfortable if their white teacher leads this discussion in class? I know enough not to ask a Black student to speak on behalf of an entire race, but would it be okay to privately ask a Black student how they would feel about this book or that sort of discussion?
Should I grade these 45 quick 10-point responses first or 25 longer essays? Go back and forth between the two? Am I fair to every student when I don’t grade an assignment all at once? Do I grade the first essays harder or easier than the last ones?
Why do I feel guilty when I take points off for not capitalizing “I” or proper nouns? Why don’t they click on the squiggly lines and fix their typos/spelling/grammar errors when the computer is literally marking them for them? Why are they still making these basic mistakes when we have gone over them so many times? Do they just not care about their grades? Do they even go back and read my comments and look at why they lost points? Is this an academic issue or a motivation issue or a self-worth issue? Do we need to do more lessons on catching these mistakes or do I need to talk with them about the importance of the impression of themselves they put out into the world? Is it unfair for a student to earn a C for a grade when the content of their work is probably at a B or even an A level, but their spelling and grammar mistakes are so ubiquitous and egregious that they lose points on every assignment? Is it asking too much of them to CLICK ON THE DANG SQUIGGLY LINES?
Am I becoming the old cranky English teacher who nitpicks and loses sight of the big picture? Am I too tired for this job? Am I becoming too cynical? Are my standards too high? Haven’t I lowered them since I began teaching all those years ago, though? Should I have?
Should I work through lunch or head to the workroom? Will I feel better if I have a half-hour of adult conversation or if I get more of these papers graded? Do I need to make any hard copies of the handout for next period? Did I remember to upload the video and Google doc to Google Classroom for the kids who are absent?
Is that yelling in the hallway? What’s going on? Did one of you just call the other a bitch?
Why are the kids behaving like this this year? Is it COVID-related? Or just the stress of COVID plus all the other division and dissension in society that we are all contending with?
Does that kid who just smiled at me and said “Hey, Ms. H!” have any idea how much I needed that friendly smile right now?
Why is the office calling down that long list of kids? Are they getting quarantined and sent home? Wait, they don’t have to stay home anymore, but they have to wear masks now, right? Will we get a list of kids who are supposed to be wearing masks for two weeks? How will I keep track of that? How many more times can I say “pull your mask up over your nose” before I start inserting curse words into that sentence?
Do I have time to run to the bathroom between classes? Risk someone being in the single-stall teacher bathroom or go to the student bathroom further away? Is that crying in the next stall? Hey, are you all right? Do you need to talk? Which class do you have right now? Can I walk you down to the guidance office? (Will my class of freshmen be okay if I get there a little late?)
Can we settle down and get started, please? Where is your chromebook? Why isn’t it charged? Where is your charger? Why haven’t you borrowed one from the library then?
Is this email for real? Are they kidding with this? Another meeting? A new book study? This year of all years? Don’t we have enough to do? Can’t they just give us more time to plan or collaborate with each other on the ACTUAL work that needs done?
Am I getting sick or am I just exhausted? Is my throat sore from talking so much today or because I’m coming down with something? Will they be able to find a sub if I stay home tomorrow? What am I teaching tomorrow? Is it something I can adapt easily for a sub or will I need to come up with something new? How much will that impact my plans for the rest of the week? (Why can’t I be more of a Type B teacher?) Isn’t it just easier to suck it up and go to school with a cold? But what if it’s COVID?
Is that an email from a parent? Do I have the energy to deal with that tonight? Why are they emailing me so late?
Where is that info about the poetry contest? When was the deadline? How did I not know until now what a great writer Jane is?
Oh no, Michael didn’t do the assignment; is it too late to call home tonight or should I wait and call from school tomorrow? Do his parents work during the day? Do they support his use of he/him pronouns? Do I need to refer to him as Michelle when I talk to them?
Why am I watching the news? Is the legislature seriously going to try to pass that? Do they have any clue how that will impact teaching and learning? Why do the people with the power to address some of the problems always seem to arrive at “solutions” without asking educators for feedback? Don’t they realize that only leads to more issues?
Oh my God, another one? How many school shootings does that make this year?
Are all teachers as overwhelmed and exhausted as I am?
Does anyone care what teachers are going through in this country?
When is someone going to do something about it?
— Julie Holderbaum is an English Instructor and an Academic Challenge Advisor at Minerva High School, Minerva, Ohio.
Wellness Grant
OEA’s Wellness Grants Help Locals Support Member Well-Being
- Up to $5/per Active Member
- Submission and Approval of Application Required
- Activity Must be completed between September 3, 2024 – May 31, 2025
- Receipts must be submitted for Reimbursement by June 15, 2025
- Share photos with LRC to post on the OEA Wellness Website
- Contact LRC for Application
- Share your events on social media using #OEAWellnessGrant, #OEAWG, and #OEAWellness
- Click here to download a Wellness Grant application
- Wellness Grants Funds cannot be used for the following: T-shirts, Gift Cards/Gift Certificates, Cash Gifts to Members, or Lottery Tickets
WELLNESS GRANT ACTIVITIES
- Laughter As The Best Medicine – Set a movie event for members. A comedy or light-hearted movie is suggested. Provide members with movie “snacks” as they share an opportunity to laugh alongside fellow members.
- Social Time Members Uplifting Members – Organize an event – perhaps a happy hour or coffee chat – where members can relax and spend time together in a social setting.
- Pop-up Café – Set up a pop-up café that offers members snacks and positive messages. The café could be as simple as a table staffed by other members or a coffee/tea bar.
- Drop-in Spa – Create a drop-in spa for members in buildings. Members can sign up for time to experience a relaxing environment with a massage chair, healthy snacks, and beverages.
- Wellness Passport/Self-Care BINGO – Provide members with a Wellness Passport with pages to be stamped for each self-care activity they do on their own. Create a BINGO card with self-help activities for members to complete. The activities for the passport or BINGO card could include such things as: exercise classes, virtual challenges, book clubs, and meditation. Award members with a gift with a completed passport or completed BINGO card.
- Special Delivery! – Create a monthly drawing for all members. Winners will receive a special delivery of flowers, cookies, candy, self-care bags, or books, and a positive message from their local.
- Lunch and Learn – Invite members to an hourlong lunch and training focused on a wellness activity or skill such as meditation or an art/craft. The lunch hour could include a speaker on a topic related to self-care. Ask members to complete a self-care survey during the lunch and learn.
- Keep Active and Be Healthy Challenges
• Walk/Step Challenge – Provide each member who signs up for the challenge with a promotional Local water bottle, notebook, pen, and information on the health benefits of walking. Create a members-only Facebook or Instagram page for the challenge. Ask participating members to set a personal goal for the 30-day challenge, keep track for 30 days, and post/share positive thoughts via social media.*
• Sleep Challenge – Provide each member who signs up for the challenge with a sleep mask, earplugs, herbal tea, notebook, and information on the health benefits of sleep. Create a members-only Facebook or Instagram page for the challenge. Ask participating members to set a personal goal for the 30-day challenge, keep track for 30 days, and post/share positive thoughts via social media.*
*Members who complete the 30-day challenge receive a certificate and gift - Local’s CHOICE! – Develop a Wellness Themed Activity of your own!
“I got great feedback from some staff that said they appreciated the nice surprise on a cold Monday morning – a goodie bag with items with a note attached explaining how each item can be applied to their own personal wellness”
A sample of locals who have received a Wellness Grant
