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Members of the media may contact OFT Communications Director Neil Bhaerman at 412-266-4899 (cell).
Press
Public Education Supporters Respond to Governor DeWine’s Proposed Biennial Budget
Ohio Organizing Collaborative Co-Executive Director Molly Shack, Policy Matters 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."
KIPP Columbus is Using Public Education Funding to Delay and Oppose Union Vote
Columbus, OH — The administration at KIPP Columbus, a campus of four charter schools that serve students from pre-K through the 12th grade, has declined to recognize KIPP Columbus Alliance for Charter Teachers and Staff, the union that was formed by a supermajority of eligible educators. Instead, they have hired an anti-union legal team and have filed a frivolous legal challenge that seeks to delay and stop a secret-ballot union election. KIPP Columbus is a private entity that relies on public education funding, including $15 million for the 2020-2021 school year.
Educators and Staff at KIPP Columbus Charter School Petition for Union Recognition
Columbus, OH — Today, teachers and staff at the KIPP Columbus charter school called on their superintendent and board of directors to voluntarily recognize their union after they presented signed union cards from an overwhelming majority of teachers, paraprofessionals, intervention specialists, social workers, and student life coordinators. The organizing campaign is led by educators from all four schools (Primary, Elementary, Middle, and High) at the KIPP Columbus campus.
Grandview Heights Public Library Voluntarily Recognizes Union
GRANDVIEW HEIGHTS, OH — Yesterday, the Grandview Heights Public Library voluntarily recognized the union that was recently formed by librarians and library workers. The union’s official recognition was the result of the library declining to request an election after signed union cards from an overwhelming majority of library employees were submitted to library management and the State Employee Relations Board on August 30. The library’s decision saves months of delay and unnecessary legal expenses that would have occurred if the library refused to recognize and forced workers to hold an election. It also allows both sides to immediately begin the bargaining process and work together on a fair contract for librarians and library workers.
School Report Cards Demonstrate Need for Whole Child Approach
OFT President Melissa Cropper released the following statement on the Ohio Department of Education’s 2022 Report Cards: “These report cards demonstrate something that teachers and school staff have observed: our students need more support to fully bounce back from the pandemic and remote learning disruptions in the last few years. While we believe the report cards could be more useful if they were less dependent on standardized test scores, they are helpful in determining where there are gaps that need to be addressed."
Grandview Heights Public Library Employees Launch Union Campaign
GRANDVIEW HEIGHTS, OH — Today, staff at Grandview Heights Public Library (GHPL) called on their Director and Board of Trustees to voluntarily recognize their union. Copies of signed union cards from an overwhelming majority of library employees were delivered to management, while the originals were filed with the State Employee Relations Board (SERB) to request voluntary recognition of the union.
OFT Endorses Candidates for the State Board of Education and the Ohio General Assembly
COLUMBUS, OH — Today, the Ohio Federation of Teachers announced additional endorsements for this year’s general election, including endorsements for the Ohio State Board of Education and the Ohio General Assembly. The endorsements were approved by a majority vote of OFT’s Executive Council, which is composed of member leaders from every OFT local union.
Equitas Health Workers Win Union Election
A majority of frontline client-facing employees at Equitas Health voted to form their union with the Ohio Federation of Teachers, according to election results that were released today by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The bargaining unit includes approximately 175 social workers, counselors, therapists, advocates, case managers, and other employees who work in Equitas Health offices across Ohio.
OFT President Cropper: HB 99 Makes Ohio Schools Less Safe
“We are disappointed that Governor DeWine signed HB 99 into law despite widespread concern from educators, parents, and public safety professionals. Allowing more guns in our schools, without the necessary training to ensure those guns are kept secure and are handled safely, will make our schools more dangerous and increase the likelihood that Ohio students, teachers, and school staff will be harmed. Similarly, the new law that allows permitless concealed carry, will also make our communities less safe."