Columbus, OH — Melissa Cropper, President of the Ohio Federation of Teachers, released the following statement about House Bill 616, which combines legislation that bans so-called "divisive concepts" with legislative language similar to Florida's "Don't Say Gay" law.
CLEVELAND, OH — Educators at Menlo Park Academy, a charter school in Cleveland that serves gifted students, won their union election today after the official vote count was tallied by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). They are the ninth charter school to form a union with the Cleveland Alliance of Charter Teachers and Staff (Cleveland ACTS), a local union that is affiliated with the Ohio Federation of Teachers (OFT) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).
LORAIN, OH – Educators at Summit Academy Secondary Lorain won their union election today after the official vote count was tallied by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). They are the third Summit Academy school, and the eighth charter school of any kind, to form a union with the Cleveland Alliance of Charter Teachers and Staff (Cleveland ACTS), a local union that is affiliated with the Ohio Federation of Teachers (OFT) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT).
Earlier this week, the statewide Executive Council for the Ohio Federation of Teachers (OFT) voted to endorse U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan for the U.S. Senate. The Executive Council is composed of educators, school support staff, and public employees who are members of OFT’s 54 local unions. “We’ve seen Tim Ryan be a leader in his community by fighting to protect good jobs when GM closed their Lordstown factory, a leader in Congress on workers’ rights and education, and a leader by example when he supported and recognized his campaign staff’s right to form a union,” said Melissa Cropper, OFT President. “We’re proud to support his campaign because he has spent his career supporting students, educators, and working people.”
Cleveland, OH — The administration at Menlo Park Academy, a K-8 charter school that serves gifted students, has been using public education funds to engage in a union busting campaign. The anti-union campaign, which includes anti-union literature and frivolous legal challenges intended to delay the election, began shortly after 96% of eligible employees supported forming the union and signed union authorization cards. The cards were submitted to the National Labor Relations Board on November 12 and include support from teachers, instructional assistants, instructional aides, one-on-one aides, and other licensed educators.
We look forward to working with Board President McGuire and Vice President Dackin, new members Brandon Kern and Richard Chernesky, and the rest of the state school board members to address the immediate challenges that Ohio students and schools are facing, including labor shortages, public health precautions, and increased student behavior issues.”
Columbus, OH — Melissa Cropper, President of the Ohio Federation of Teachers, and Scott DiMauro, President of the Ohio Education Association, released the following joint statement in opposition to HB 454, a bill that would ban gender affirming mental and physical healthcare for minors in Ohio. The bill would also prohibit educators and school counselors from keeping students’ feelings about gender identity confidential.
Librarians and other workers at Worthington Libraries voted 80-10 (89%) to form their union with the Ohio Federation of Teachers, according to election results that were released today by Ohio’s State Employment Relations Board (SERB). The organizing campaign was driven by concerns that too many library policies, including health and safety concerns and paid leave policies, were being made without any input from library employees.
"The safety and education of our students is our highest priority. We haven’t even passed Labor Day and we already have thousands of Ohio students, teachers, and staff who have missed school due to COVID-19 infection or exposure. This has already led to school closures in multiple school districts. We need to keep our students in the classroom, and the best way to do that is with a statewide mask mandate."
Today, Innovation Ohio and the Ohio Federation of Teachers co-hosted a virtual "speak out" against deceptive attacks on honesty in education which aim to prohibit schools from teaching accurate history about racism, sexism, prejudice, and other issues. Educators, parents, and allies spoke about the dangers of curriculum bans and urged Ohioans to stand for honest, accurate, diverse education in schools.