Attacks on teachers making schools battlegrounds as real crises continue| union president
"Supporters of these bills have hijacked the statewide conversation about education policy and have turned our schools into a battleground for a divisive culture war," Melissa Cropper
There is a widening abyss between the reality of Ohio public schools and the distorted caricature of public education that is being painted by too many Ohio legislators and politicians.
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In each of Ohio’s more than 600 school districts, a community of students, parents, teachers, staff, and administrators share a goal of creating strong local public schools, where students are valued and accepted and where comprehensive and challenging courses prepare students for success.
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In these communities, there are tough conversations about how to solve the problems that stand in the way of that shared goal – unreliable school funding, large class sizes, lack of books and supplies, shortages of teachers and staff, and inadequate resources for students with disabilities.
Instead of supporting this collaborative process though, some Ohio legislators, including the sponsors of House Bill 327, Reps. Diane Grendell and Sarah Fowler Arthur, and the sponsors of House Bill 616, Reps. Mike Loychik and Jean Schmidt, have chosen to make public schools the enemy and pit parents against educators.
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Supporters of these bills have hijacked the statewide conversation about education policy and have turned our schools into a battleground for a divisive culture war riddled with false claims that teachers and administrators are indoctrinating students on issues of race and gender.
Using those lies as a justification, both bills intrude on local control of schools, interfere with the ability to provide an honest and inclusive learning environment, and distract from the real crises that need to be addressed.
Meanwhile, public school parents, educators, and administrators are focused on meeting the needs of our students which have increased over the past two challenging school years. There are proven best practices for doing this.
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What do children really need?
First, we must meet the needs of the whole child.
When students are not physically or mentally healthy, or when they are facing food insecurity, they will not succeed academically. Schools are natural community hubs and can build partnerships with other programs and organizations to seamlessly provide students with services that meet their health, wellness, and social emotional needs.
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This approach was incorporated into the Ohio Department of Education’s strategic plan with broad support across the political spectrum. Dishonest attacks, enabled by the rhetoric of House Bill 327 and House Bill 616, are now falsely claiming this approach is an intrusion on personal and family privacy and a diversion from education.
Second, we must build the learning conditions that engage students, including small class sizes and a broad selection of music, art, STEM, language, and other electives.
However, the legislature’s inability to pass a permanent school funding formula has made it difficult for school districts to make long-term investments in these areas.
Third, we must set students up for post-graduation success by devoting resources to all academic options, including career and technical development.
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In order to keep our youth in Ohio after graduation though, we need to make it a state that is welcoming and inclusive. Legislation that marginalizes students and makes families feel unwelcome will have a detrimental effect on Ohio’s ability to compete in attracting the workforce needed for new businesses to thrive.
Even Ohio’s Chamber of Commerce has spoken out against House Bill 616.
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Finally, we need quality, experienced educators and staff to make this vision a reality.
People choose to work in a school system because they want to serve their community and help students succeed, but that choice becomes harder when they are attacked daily by policymakers who ignore the real needs of students and sow division instead.
This is creating a shortage of teachers and support staff as people are leaving the system early at the same time that fewer and fewer young people are choosing this career option.
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The divisive attempts to attack students and teachers in House Bill 616 and House Bill 327 are already creating harm in our schools by delaying the work we must do to make sure all Ohio students can succeed. These bills must be stopped.
Georgetown resident Melissa Cropper is a library media specialist serves as president of the Ohio Federation of Teachers. OFT represents 20,000 active and retired members across the state, including public school educators and support staff, higher education faculty and support staff, and public employees.