"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.
Ohio Federation of Teachers President Melissa Cropper release the following statement on the passing of AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka: "Today, we mourn for AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, a relentless champion for workers’ rights and people-powered democracy. Rich began his work in the labor movement as a coal miner before rising to become the leader of the United Mine Workers of America and then the AFL-CIO. He never forgot where he came from, providing critical support to workers in struggle throughout his career."
"HB 322 and HB 327 are bills that were written to address a non-existent problem that was ginned up by the same bad actors who have been trying to privatize public education for decades. If these bills were to pass, they have the potential to prohibit or dissuade educators from covering important topics that are essential for students to learn our past, understand our present, and build our future."
“These bills -- HB 61 and SB 132 -- are not just a sports ban, this is part of a coordinated national attack on the safety and lives of trans students. As educators, we are speaking up because we know that our students don't thrive when they're not safe and healthy, and because every student deserves respect and equal opportunity."
“Our school districts include some of the communities in Ohio that have been hit hardest by the deadly effects of COVID-19. Our members, our students and their families, and our cities will face dire consequences if schools are pressured to reopen before it is safe to do so."