Fund Our Future: All in for Ohio Kids calls on lawmakers to pass Fair School Funding Plan

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 for years, certain politicians have pitted parents against teachers and communities against each other while they drain resources from our public schools to give tax cuts and tax breaks to the wealthy few and corporations.

A broad bipartisan majority in the Ohio House and a coalition of public school parents, educators, administrators, and community members support the Fair School Funding Plan in the House’s budget bill. This legislation has been developed and vetted, with public input, over the last three and a half years.

But certain leaders in the Ohio Senate chose to push a budget that sells out our opportunity to create a long-term school funding solution for continued giveaways to corporations and failed charter schools. The Senate plan was written behind closed doors and released to the public less than a month before the state’s budget deadline, without public input and no public support.

Ohioans are coming together to demand our elected officials fund our future and pass the Fair School Funding plan.

On Wednesday, June 9, 2021, the Ohio Education Association joined with its partners in the All in for Ohio Kids coalition for a press rally at the Ohio Statehouse to deliver a message to lawmakers that they need to fund our future and back the Fair School Funding Plan in this year's budget.

Featured guests: 

• 2:00 - Zach Jones
  • 7th grade teacher at Mansfield Middle School and member of Mansfield School Employees Association, an Ohio Education Association local affiliate
• 5:45 - Shauntina Thornton
  • Math and social studies teacher at Nathan Hale PreK-8 school in Cleveland and member of Cleveland Teachers Union, an affiliate of the Ohio Federation of Teachers
• 8:30 - Rev. Daniel Hughes
  • Cincinnati Faith Organizer, AMOS Project
• 10:40 - Taylor Pennington
  • Parent in Lima, Ohio, and organizer with the Ohio Organizing Collaborative
• 15:30 - Emily Hatfield
  • Treasurer/CFO, Olentangy Schools

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About us:

• The Ohio Education Association represents approximately 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
• Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. 

This episode was recorded in June, 2021.