Public Education Matters

A Legacy of Education: The Jessens - Season 3, Episode 10 A passion for education seems to run in families, and it is not uncommon for Ohioans to follow their parent's footsteps into the education profession. In Part One of a new series on Education Matters, we're hearing from Vermillion High School teacher Rebecca Jessen and her daughter, James, who is in her first semester as an Art Education ma...

The Case Against Mandatory Retention Under the 3rd Grade Reading Guarantee - Season 3, Episode 9 Ohio lawmakers have the chance to correct a major flaw with the state's so-called Third Grade Reading Guarantee by ending the requirement that students who don't achieve a cut score on one high-stakes test be held back in the 3rd grade. The State Board of Education is set to consider a resolution suppo...

Supporting Diverse Educators - Season 3, Episode 8 Ohio's education workforce is made up of people of all races, ethnicities, backgrounds, genders, and sexual orientations. This diversity is extremely valuable in our public school classrooms. But, too often, educators of color or those in the LGBTQ+ community don't feel welcomed or valued. Hilliard Education Association President Linna Jordan is w...

State Supreme Court Candidate Spotlight - Season 3, Episode 7 Ohio's lingering redistricting fight has clearly shown that who sits on the Ohio Supreme Court matters. And beyond redistricting, the Ohio Supreme Court justices also make important decisions on major issues that impact public education, educators and students. That's why OEA members have recommended Justice Jennifer Brunner, Judge Terr...

Educators on the Ballot - Season 3, Episode 6 Decisions made in Columbus have an enormous impact on what happens in our classrooms every day. That's why it's so important to elect state leaders who understand the issues facing our public schools. On this episode, we hear from three educators-turned-OEA-member-recommended-candidates who fully understand those issues about how their classroom experi...

" The Kindness Machine" - Season 3, Episode 5 Kindness is an important skill to develop, but too often, we talk about it as an abstract concept without really explaining it in a way that a child can truly understand or put into practice in their lives. Leave it to a teacher to change that! Christina Dankert, a 2nd grade teacher in Sylvania, literally wrote the book on it. She discusses her debut c...

Choosing the OEA Member-recommended Candidates - Season 3, Episode 4 Election Day is just weeks away and it is imperative that pro-public education candidates win their races at all levels. Barb Armour, a bus driver in Brunswick City Schools who sits on one of the OEA Fund District Screening Councils, explains how OEA Members decide which candidates should get the support of Ohio's educators.  MOR...

The Hard Choice to Walk Away - Season 3, Episode 3 Independence Middle School teacher Jill Wagner was making plans for the new school year when Gov. DeWine signed House Bill 99, gutting the training requirements for school staff to carry guns, and Wagner knew she'd had enough. She made the difficult decision to retire, ending a career she loved. She's certainly not alone.  SUBSCRIBE | Click here t...

Ohio Parents Trust Teachers - Season 3, Episode 2 Despite the very loud voices of extremist politicians who are calling for book bans and placing other controls on what Ohio's teachers can teach, it turns out that nearly all Ohio parents trust their children's teachers to provide age appropriate instruction and be good role models. Those were among the many findings of a recent survey of Ohio pare...

Celebrating Our Wins - Season 3, Episode 1 As the new school year gets underway, Ohio's educators are once again facing major challenges in our public schools. But there are also major reasons to celebrate, and to build on the momentum of those victories to create a better future for all of us. In the first episode of the new Education Matters season, Ohio Education President Scott DiMauro discuss...

2022 National Teacher of the Year: "We must be true to our students" - Season 2, Episode 34 2022 National Teacher of the Year Kurt Russell says he's not the best teacher in the country, but it's clear the Oberlin High School teacher the best person to represent our educators and students at this moment in our country, as Ohio and other states face dangerous legislation like House Bills 327 and 616...

Breakfast & Beyond - Season 2, Episode 33 It is a fact: Hungry children struggle to learn. But making sure all students have access to adequate, nutritious meals takes innovation and collaboration. The Ohio School Breakfast Challenge recently recognized 22 Ohio districts who have embraced that mission, naming them Breakfast and Beyond Super Star districts. We're taking a look at some of the ne...

Avoiding the 'Super Teacher' Trap - Season 2, Episode 32 Ohio's educators are dedicated to serving their students, but too often, early career educators burn out and leave the profession after only a few years. Austintown Fitch High School teacher Jake Reid says he was on the path to becoming one of them because of the pressure he put on himself to be what he called "Super Teacher" every day. He s...

OEA Officers: 'We Hear You' - Season 2, Episode 31 This Teacher Appreciation Week, educators need more than just a pat on the back; they need respect and support. They need to be sure that everyone -- from the community members they serve to the state leaders making decisions about their day-to-day operations in the classroom -- sees them and hears their struggles. OEA's president, vice president,...

Buckeye Local Backpay - Season 2, Episode 30 Imagine coming to an agreement on salary issues in contract negotiations only to find out later that someone had made a change that shortchanged every employee for months. That's what happened to the Buckeye Local Classroom Teachers' Association in Jefferson County, which won more than $180,000 in backpay for its teachers and corrected paychecks moving...

A School Librarian's Perspective on House Bill 616 - Season 2, Episode 29 House Bill 616, which was introduced in the Ohio Legislature in early April, combines the worst parts of House Bill 327's 'divisive concepts' prohibitions with Florida's so-called 'Don't Say Gay Law.' Courtney Johnson, a school librarian in Columbus, shares her thoughts on this dangerous legislation and what it may mean for...

Candidate Conversation: John Cranley - Season 2, Episode 28 As the countdown to Election Day continues, Ohio Education Association members are asking the candidates for Ohio governor where they stand on public education issues. OEA has invited all of the declared gubernatorial candidates - both Democrats and Republicans - to share their thoughts. The two Democrats in the race accepted OEA's invita...

Candidate Conversation: Nan Whaley - Season 2, Episode 27 So much of what happens in Ohio's classrooms depends on who is leading the state as governor. That's why OEA has invited all of the declared candidates for Ohio governor - both Democrats and Republicans - to speak with Ohio's educators about where they stand on the public education issues. The two Democrats in the race accepted OEA's invita...

“Celebrate Diversity: Read” – OEA-R Members continue Read Across America campaign - Season 2, Episode 26 As Ohio Education Association-Retired members often say, "Once an educator, always an educator." Even after they've ended their careers in the classroom, they're still helping students and Ohio's public schools. One of their many projects is taking part in the Read Across America campaign throu...

H.B. 327's Threat to Higher Education & Beyond - Season 2, Episode 25 Ohio House Bill 327, the so-called "Divisive Concepts Bill," could have devastating consequences for Ohio's students, educators, and schools - K-12 and higher education alike. Royce Carpenter, an assistant professor at Columbus State Community College, is sounding the alarm about what the bill would mean for her students and...

Recognizing Inspiring School Employees - Season 2, Episode 24 Education Support Professionals are the glue that holds our school communities together. They're the paraeducators, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, secretaries, custodians, security professionals, and more who serve our students every day. And one paraeducator in Maple Heights, Andrea Beeman, is being honored for her work that goes abov...

Survey Says... - Season 2, Episode 23 Educators across Ohio have had more and more duties added to their plates with very few items coming off their to-do lists. The result has been increasing burn out rates and plummeting morale. The Pickerington Education Association leadership put out a survey to members to get a better handle on how they were feeling and the support they needed. When the schoo...

"Which Cape Will I Wear Today?" - Season 2, Episode 22 About 80% of students entering first grade report having high self-esteem, but that number plummets to just 20% by the time they enter fifth grade. Kiara Berry, a Hamilton Local Schools teacher, is on a mission to change that. She sat down to talk with us about her new, inspiring children's book that is all about promoting confidence and self-...

Honesty for Ohio Education: 'This is a 10-alarm fire' - Season 2, Episode 21 Most Ohioans believe all children deserve an honest and reflective education that allows them to learn critical thinking skills and become strong future leaders. But, as part of a nationally coordinated and funded effort to manufacture cultural wedge issues and distract from the things that really matter for our schools,...

STRS Myths vs. Facts  - Season 2, Episode 20 Ohio's teachers pay into the State Teachers Retirement System - or STRS - throughout their careers to guarantee a reliable source of income when they leave their classrooms. The health of this pension system is vital to all active and retired teachers. Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation swirling around about STRS right now, so we asked OEA'...