Public Education Matters

As the new school year gets underway, the Ohio Education Association is unveiling a new sound and new format for its podcast, while reaffirming the unwavering commitment of its 120,000 members to creating the excellent public schools every child deserves. Ohio Education Association President Scott DiMauro kicks off season 4 of the podcast with an insightful look at how educators are using their united voice to demand the supports and resources Ohio's public schools, students, and educators need to succeed. OEA Manager of Communications and Marketing Valancia Turner also joins this episode to highlight how OEA's app can be a useful tool for members!

SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Public Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to subscribe on Google podcasts so you don't miss a thing. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.

Featured Public Education Matters guests: 

• Scott DiMauro, Ohio Education Association President
  • A high school social studies teacher from Worthington, Scott DiMauro was elected President of the OEA in 2019 after having served as vice president for six years. Over his 32-year career as an educator, Scott has worked to provide students the critical thinking and decision-making skills they need to be successful citizens in our democratic society. He has likewise advocated for students, educators and strong public schools at all levels of his union.
    Prior to becoming a full-time OEA officer, Scott served for nine years as President of Central OEA/NEA, and has experience as president of his local, as a member of his local bargaining team, chairperson of Central’s leadership and professional development programs, and political action coordinator. He also led the NEA Standing Committee on Legislation for three years.
  • As vice president, Scott served as co-chair of the Healthcare and Pension Advocates for STRS and represented OEA’s members on a variety of coalition boards and steering committees. He chaired the OEA Legislative Committee and continues to work with OEA’s Government Relations staff to represent educators in the legislature and State Board of Education. He was proud to help lead efforts of the OEA Commission on Student Success to lay out a comprehensive vision for high-quality education for all students and lay the groundwork for positive implementation of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act in Ohio. He also led an initiative to increase student access to breakfast in high-poverty districts and served as national spokesperson for the Partners for Breakfast in the Classroom.
  • Scott’s priorities as president include strengthening local affiliates, enhancing professional supports for members, and elevating the voice of educators in public policy issues to ensure all students are given access to a high-quality education that inspires their creativity, imagination, and desire to learn.
•  Valancia "Val" Turner, Ohio Education Association Manager of Communications and Marketing
  • At OEA, Val Turner leads the development, alignment, and implementation of OEA’s strategies in the communications, media, public relations, and marketing areas. Val previously worked with Franklin County Children Services as the Director of Public Information.  Prior to FCCS, she worked at iHeart Media as a Senior Account Executive where she presented campaigns, created multi-platform campaigns, analyzed campaign results, and provided services to a client base ranging from small to large organizational sizes.  She also owned and operated a media consulting company, and has had extensive involvement with various community organizations in Central Ohio.  Val holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing from University of Phoenix and an MBA from Franklin University.  

SHARE YOUR PERSPECTIVE | If you'd like to add your voice to the many others who are telling the world why Public Education Matters in Ohio, please record a short video on Soapboxx to share your thoughts. You can do it from your mobile or desktop device, and it's as easy as clicking on the blue 'Record Your Video' button and saying a few sentences about why Public Education Matters to you. Click here to get started.

Connect with OEA:

• Email [email protected] with your feedback or ideas for future Public Education Matters topics
• Like OEA on Facebook
• Follow OEA on Twitter
• Follow OEA on Instagram
• Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
• Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues 
• Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch

About us:

• The Ohio Education Association represents about 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 an Emmy Award winning 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. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.

This episode was recorded on August 22 and August 31, 2023.

Public Education Matters; it's the heart of it all. In the Season 3 finale, we reflect on the challenges and victories over the last school year as well as the opportunities that lie ahead as educators across the state join with parents and community leaders to show the world why Public Education Matters in Ohio. Ohio Education Association President Scott DiMauro shares his thoughts about why Public Education Matters to him, and how the issues of equity, educator recruitment and retention, collective advocacy, and access to a high quality-education for every child without exception all tie back to that important central theme.

SHARE YOUR PERSPECTIVE | If you'd like to add your voice to the many others who are telling the world why Public Education Matters in Ohio, please record a short video on Soapboxx to share your thoughts. You can do it from your mobile or desktop device, and it's as easy as clicking on the blue 'Record Your Video' button and saying a few sentences about why Public Education Matters to you. Click here to get started.

Featured Education Matters guests: 

• Scott DiMauro, Ohio Education Association President
  • A high school social studies teacher from Worthington, Scott DiMauro was elected President of the OEA in 2019 after having served as vice president for six years. Over his 32-year career as an educator, Scott has worked to provide students the critical thinking and decision-making skills they need to be successful citizens in our democratic society. He has likewise advocated for students, educators and strong public schools at all levels of his union.
    Prior to becoming a full-time OEA officer, Scott served for nine years as President of Central OEA/NEA, and has experience as president of his local, as a member of his local bargaining team, chairperson of Central’s leadership and professional development programs, and political action coordinator. He also led the NEA Standing Committee on Legislation for three years.
  • As vice president, Scott served as co-chair of the Healthcare and Pension Advocates for STRS and represented OEA’s members on a variety of coalition boards and steering committees. He chaired the OEA Legislative Committee and continues to work with OEA’s Government Relations staff to represent educators in the legislature and State Board of Education. He was proud to help lead efforts of the OEA Commission on Student Success to lay out a comprehensive vision for high-quality education for all students and lay the groundwork for positive implementation of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act in Ohio. He also led an initiative to increase student access to breakfast in high-poverty districts and served as national spokesperson for the Partners for Breakfast in the Classroom.
  • Scott’s priorities as president include strengthening local affiliates, enhancing professional supports for members, and elevating the voice of educators in public policy issues to ensure all students are given access to a high-quality education that inspires their creativity, imagination, and desire to learn.
• Educators whose voices were featured in the introduction to this episode through Soapboxx videos they recorded sharing their thoughts on why Public Education Matters include:
  • Stephanie Myers, Pandora-Gilboa Education Association
  • Dan Greenberg, Sylvania Education Association
  • Shelly Ahleman, Liberty Center CTA

SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to subscribe on Google podcasts so you don't miss a thing. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.

Connect with OEA:

• Email [email protected] with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
• Like OEA on Facebook
• Follow OEA on Twitter
• Follow OEA on Instagram
• Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
• Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues 
• Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch

About us:

• The Ohio Education Association represents about 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 an Emmy Award winning 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. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.

This episode was recorded on June 1, 2023.

The strength of Ohio's public schools is in the beautiful diversity of the nearly 1.7 million students they serve, and it is imperative that educators are empowered to provide culturally responsive education in inclusive environments to students of every race, background, gender, religion, and ability, so all students can learn, grow, and thrive. But when it comes to best serving Muslim students, many Ohio educators may not know where to begin. The Ohio chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) is working to change that with a new webpage full of tools and resources. Amina Barhumi, the CAIR-Ohio Executive Director for the Columbus and Cincinnati offices, explains how this Educator Resource page came about and how it will grow in the future.

GET THE TOOLS | Visit CAIR-Ohio's Educator Resource page at https://cair-ohio.com/educator-resource/

Featured Education Matters guest: 

• Amina Barhumi, CAIR-Ohio Executive Director
  • Amina Barhumi is the Executive Director of the Council of American Islamic Relations, Ohio Chapter, leading both the Columbus and Cincinnati offices. As a lifelong human rights and democracy activist, she joined CAIR-Ohio in 2020, first as the Outreach Director, and then stepped up to lead the organization during a challenging transition. Today, she manages one of the most prominent CAIR offices in the country with a team of civil rights and social justice advocates dedicated to empowering American Muslims through legal services, legislative advocacy, and community organizing.
    Under Amina’s leadership, CAIR-Ohio strengthened its organizational infrastructure, built and elevated community power, established new and improved existing local partnerships, and prioritized multiply marginalized Muslim communities in Ohio.
  • Amina is deeply passionate about building capacity and power for Ohio Muslims. She engages elected officials, media, local institutions, and the public through her work about issues that matter to American Muslims. She strongly believes in investing in our future leaders through training and internship programs.
  • Amina earned her degree in Business Management from the University of Illinois at Chicago and is currently an MPA Candidate at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at the University of Syracuse. Amina, her husband, and four children have called Columbus home for over 13 years.

SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to subscribe on Google podcasts so you don't miss a thing. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.

Connect with OEA:

• Email [email protected] with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
• Like OEA on Facebook
• Follow OEA on Twitter
• Follow OEA on Instagram
• Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
• Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues 
• Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch

About us:

• The Ohio Education Association represents about 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 an Emmy Award winning 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. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.

This episode was recorded on May 24, 2023.

Across the state, school districts have found it harder and harder to fill some positions as many educators leave the profession and fewer educators join the workforce in their place. After Manchester City Schools in Adams County could not get candidates to apply for a high school science teaching job, the superintendent asked Jeff Crask - who was working at Wal-Mart after retiring from teaching nearly a decade ago - to come back to his old classroom. Crask tells us why he agreed to fill the need, and why he's decided to stay on for another year.

DIVE DEEPER | To learn more about recommendations from OEA members about solutions to address the growing teacher recruitment and retention crisis, click here. 

Featured Education Matters guest: 

• Jeff Crask, Manchester Ohio River Educators member
  • Jeff Crask returned to teaching at Manchester High School in Adams County for the 2022-2023 school year, after retiring from teaching in 2014. He has agreed to return to Manchester High School for the 2023-2024 school year, too.
  • Crask served three years in the US Army, 1975-1978, as a Medical Specialist, Stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, MO. After the Army, Crask earned his BS in Biology at Campbellsville University, Campbellsville, Kentucky, in 1984. Cabpbellsville University had about 600 students at the time. In 1986, he received an MS in Botany from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. 
  • Before taking his first teaching job as a chemistry teacher at Knott County Central High School in Hindman, Kentucky, Crask was the overnight DJ at rock station WKQQ in Lexington, Kentucky, which he described as his dream job at the time. Crask described his first year of teaching at Knott County Central High School as a nightmare, saying "I didn't know much about Chemistry and I sure didn't know how to discipline students."
  • Crask had a much better first year when he became a Biology/Chemistry Teacher at Manchester High School, where he taught from 1992 until 2014. He didn't know anyone when he moved to the area for the job, but enjoyed the small class sizes, especially. His biggest class had 20 students, while his Anatomy class only had five students. 
  • After 22 years at Manchester High School, Crask retired in 2014. He worked at Amazon and then Walmart. "I found out that I'm not very good at working really fast for 8-10 hours. Oh well," Crask said of the experience. 
  • In 2022, Crask says his former coworkers from Manchester High School kept asking him to come back and teach again, or the students weren't going to have a Biology teacher, so after some soul-searching he told them he would. Crask says he had a great year and will teach at least one more. "It was nice to use the science equipment again," he said.
  • Crask has three grown children, James, Juliana, and Jack. James teaches Kindergarten in Portsmouth, Ohio!

SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to subscribe on Google podcasts so you don't miss a thing. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.

Connect with OEA:

• Email [email protected] with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
• Like OEA on Facebook
• Follow OEA on Twitter
• Follow OEA on Instagram
• Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
• Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues 
• Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch

About us:

• The Ohio Education Association represents about 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 an Emmy Award winning 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. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.

This episode was recorded on May 22, 2023.

Education is often a family business, with generations of great educators following a parent's footsteps into the profession. For Columbus Education Association member Tara Johnson, education was certainly in her blood, but it wasn't her first career choice. For this final installment in the A Legacy of Education series, Tara Johnson, and her mom Terry Johnson, a retired Columbus teacher, sat down to share their thoughts on how the profession has changed, the need to create better pipelines to get educators of color into the profession, and why they would recommend this career to others.

HEAR MORE 'A LEGACY OF EDUCATION' EPISODES | To listen to previous Education Matters interviews featuring parents and their children who have followed them into careers in education, check out these episodes: 

• A Legacy of Education: Jillian Majzan & Stephanie Hall
• A Legacy of Education: Sandra Dowdy & Calista Altenburger 
• A Legacy of Education: The Jessens 

Featured Education Matters guests: 

• Terry Wiggs Johnson, retired educator
  • Terry graduated from Central State University College of Education in 1967. She received her Masters of Education from Xavier University in Cincinnati in 1972. She taught for Dayton Public Schools, Buffalo Public Schools and then moved to Columbus in 1969. She taught for 32 years as an elementary school teacher and a reading teacher. Terry Johnson always enjoyed working with elementary students, especially in Language Arts.
• Tara Johnson, Columbus Education Association member
  • Tara is a product of Columbus City Schools. She graduated from Mifflin High School. She is the daughter of Terry Wiggs Johnson and Theodore W. Johnson who both graduated from Central State University in the late 60’s. Both are also retired Columbus City School teachers. Coming from a household of educators, who graduated from Central State University, she followed in their footsteps and graduated from Central State University, but refused to go into education. She pursued a degree in Finance, instead. While at Central State she was very active. She was a member of the Finance and Investment Society, College of Business Student Advisory Council, Tour Guide, Resident Assistant, and a Student Ambassador. She worked for the Vice President for Finance as a student worker. She also continued to volunteer at Main Street Elementary School in Columbus when she came home during breaks.  
  • After graduation, Tara began to work at Central State in the finance department. She volunteered with the Student Affairs area and worked very closely with the Alumni Affairs office. After leaving Central State University, she went on to two other universities, Kent State University and Virginia Union University, to work. 
  • She decided it was time to get a master’s degree, so she enrolled in Eastern Michigan, where she completed a Master’s Program in Individualized Studies in Higher Education Administration and Finance. Upon graduating from Eastern Michigan, she decided to continue to pursue her career in Higher Education and worked at Virginia Community College Systems and Wright State University. While at Wright State University, she began to look for something different. Tara had done some volunteer work in her aunt’s classroom and some substitute teaching for Columbus City Schools while getting her master’s degree, so she decided to teach at the K-12 level. 
    Tara went back to Central State University to get her licensure to teach in Social Studies at the high school level, saying she felt like high school students were closer to the college students she was used to working with for the past 20 years. Due to Covid, it took her longer than I had expected, but she completed my licensure program in Spring of 2021. 
  • Tara began teaching at Eastmoor Academy High School in the Fall of 2021. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and a life member of Central State University Alumni Association. 

SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to subscribe on Google podcasts so you don't miss a thing. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.

Connect with OEA:

• Email [email protected] with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
• Like OEA on Facebook
• Follow OEA on Twitter
• Follow OEA on Instagram
• Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
• Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues 
• Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch

About us:

• The Ohio Education Association represents about 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 an Emmy Award winning 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. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.

This episode was recorded on May 21, 2023.

On August 8, 2023, voters in Ohio will have a choice: Accept an amendment that destroys majority rule in Ohio and shreds the sacred principle of "one person, one vote" in our state or vote no on that measure to protect our freedom to make decisions that affect our lives and our futures by preserving the constitutional amendment ballot initiative rules that have worked well in our state for over a century. The choice is clear, but it's going to take every Ohioan working together to defeat this issue in the upcoming special election. One Person One Vote campaign communication director Dennis Willard joins this episode to explain why voting no in August is so important to the future of public education in our state. 

LEARN MORE | Click here for information about the citizen-driven, grassroots, non-partisan coalition representing millions of Ohio voters that has come together to protect the sacred principle of one person one vote, and preserve majority rule in Ohio.

GET INVOLVED | Click here to learn more about how you can join OEA in the One Person One Vote campaign to help stop this amendment at the ballot box in August. 

Featured Education Matters guest: 

• Dennis Willard, One Person One Vote campaign communications director
  • Dennis Willard is president of Precision New Media, which he formed after covering state policy and government as a statehouse reporter in Columbus for 23 years, the last 15 as bureau chief for the Akron Beacon Journal. As a reporter, Dennis wrote about working and middle class families, children, women, minorities and others who needed a voice in the media. This passion helped him win state and national reporting awards on issues ranging from “The American Dream: Hanging By A Thread,” to the vast inequities in Ohio’s school funding system. Dennis brings that same passion to Precision New Media. 
  • Dennis was born and raised in Youngstown, and joined the U.S. Navy after high school where he worked as a Navy Journalist for the American Forces Radio and Television Service during tours in Greece and Sicily. Upon his return, Dennis earned a B.A. in political science and an M.A. in journalism from The Ohio State University before taking his first statehouse reporting job as a stringer for his hometown newspaper, The Vindicator. 

SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to subscribe on Google podcasts so you don't miss a thing. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.

Connect with OEA:

• Email [email protected] with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
• Like OEA on Facebook
• Follow OEA on Twitter
• Follow OEA on Instagram
• Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
• Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues 
• Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch

About us:

• The Ohio Education Association represents about 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 an Emmy Award winning 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. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.

This episode was recorded on May 15, 2023.

On May 20, 2023, OEA is teaming up with the Hilliard Education Association, OEA-R, and many community partners in Hilliard to host a big book giveaway event for central Ohio students. Upwards of 9,000 books featuring diverse characters, written by diverse authors as part of this Read Across America event. HEA member Tiffany Thomas explains the power of diverse literature in children's lives, and encourages families to come pick out a book with their kid at this Summer Celebration of Diverse Readers event. 

A Summer Celebration of Diverse Readers

• Free books | Family activities | Community Resources | Snacks
• May 20th, 2023
• 10am – 2pm
• Warehouse #839, Hilliard United Methodist Church, 3691 Main Street, Hilliard, OH 43026
• All are welcome!
• FULL DETAILS: www.ohea.org/diversereaders

JOIN US FOR A SUMMER CELEBRATION OF DIVERSE READERS| The inaugural Summer Celebration of Diverse Readers event is open to all families. In addition to free books for preK-6th grade readers, there will be plenty of free family activities and snacks while supplies last. 
When we read books that have characters of all races, genders, and backgrounds, students discover their own voices and learn from the voices of others. Let’s come together to kick off a great summer by celebrating diverse readers, so we can set all students up for success!

Featured Education Matters guest: 

• Tiffany Thomas, Hilliard Education Association member
  • Tiffany Thomas is a 17 year dedicated educator and advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion in the Hilliard City School District. She is a native of Columbus, Ohio, a proud graduate of Columbus City Schools, and mother to a fierce three year old little girl. She has been an English Language Arts teacher for the past sixteen years and recently transitioned into the position of Innovative Media Specialist at Hilliard Bradley High School. During her time in the classroom,Tiffany has focused her approach on developing lessons and standards aligned curriculum for grade level courses that incorporated culturally relevant teaching practices, helped develop the district wide ELA curriculum , and represented her colleagues as a Hilliard Education Association Building Representative. Graduating from Ohio University in 2005 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Integrated Language Arts and from The Ohio State University in 2008 with a Master’s of Arts in Diversity Studies, Tiffany has honed her skill and love for culturally relevant education through her teaching practices and numerous professional development opportunities she has created and led in her district and community.
  • Throughout her professional journey, Tiffany responded to her colleagues' need for meaningful professional development by creating opportunities for teachers to share in their own journeys with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). She has been able to create opportunities for teachers to work with authors such as Jason Reynolds, Brendan Kiely, Mindy McGinnis and Natalie Richards, concerning valuing student experience in the classroom. In the spring of 2020, the murder of George Floyd sparked a
    movement within the Hilliard City School District that created a need for strategies and pedagogies when trying to embrace the black, brown,and disenfranchised voices within the classroom. Tiffany partnered with a group of colleagues, Pam Antos, Kelsey Burkett, Daniel Redman, and Lane Vanderhule, to lead the charge and create professional development opportunities for teachers centering on embracing anti-racist pedagogy and practice within our classrooms. In efforts to create an environment that every student feels comfortable, accepted and heard, Tiffany has taken the reins of the DEI efforts within her building, helping to lead a team of teachers in both culturally relevant teaching and restorative practices. She has also led professional development for other HSCD diversity facilitators as well as helping them to develop effective DEI teams throughout the district. Furthering the chance to always value student voice, Tiffany leads the Diversity Club, a student group that meets monthly to discuss current DEI topics and the
    effects of these issues on them as high school students and members of the global society. These conversations are open to all and are a transformative experience for both students and staff.
  • This year Tiffany was recognized as the 2023 OCTELA Outstanding English Language Arts Educator in the Secondary category and nominated to represent Ohio as a Teacher of Excellence at NCTE.

SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to subscribe on Google podcasts so you don't miss a thing. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.

Connect with OEA:

• Email [email protected] with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
• Like OEA on Facebook
• Follow OEA on Twitter
• Follow OEA on Instagram
• Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
• Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues 
• Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch

About us:

• The Ohio Education Association represents about 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 an Emmy Award winning 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. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.

This episode was recorded on May 8, 2023.

Throughout this school year, OEA has been recognizing exceptional educators who have been nominated by community members because of the impact they're making in students' lives. One of those Education Champions, Natasha Hurt-Hayes, is also making a big impact on how other educators are meeting students' needs by helping them re-think how their policies, practices, and perceptions are affecting the different groups of students they serve. This episode features excerpts from an interview with the Princeton City Schools School Improvement Coach for an Education Champions feature video.

Hear from other Education Champions | To see the full series of short videos highlighting Education Champions honorees around the state, including Natasha Hurt-Hayes, go to www.ohea.org/educationchampions

Featured Education Matters guest: 

• Natasha Hurt-Hayes, Princeton Association of Classroom Educators member
  • Natasha Hurt-Hayes, M.Ed.,Ed.S. - currently a school improvement coach for Princeton City Schools District in Cincinnati, Ohio - has served in education for 20 years in a variety of capacities. She is a proud product of Dayton Public Schools’ Paul Laurence Dunbar High School and her experience there as a student as well as her early work as an ELA teacher inspired her to advocate for greater change to ensure equitable outcomes for all students. Her love for the profession, inspiring young people to see the genius within them and her desire to help other educators grow has been the driving force behind the systems coaching she continues to provide through her current position as well as in her consulting work she does across the country! 

SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to subscribe on Google podcasts so you don't miss a thing. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.

Connect with OEA:

• Email [email protected] with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
• Like OEA on Facebook
• Follow OEA on Twitter
• Follow OEA on Instagram
• Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
• Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues 
• Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch

About us:

• The Ohio Education Association represents about 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 an Emmy Award winning 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. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.

The interview featured in this episode was recorded on March 31, 2023.

As the Ohio General Assembly continues to debate the education-related measures that are proposed in this year's state budget, it is imperative that every stakeholder has a full understanding of the state of education funding in our state. Policy Matters Ohio, a nonprofit, nonpartisan thinktank, just released a new report digging into the data. The report's author, Dr. Tanisha Pruitt, explains her findings and looks ahead to other education-related research reports that are in the works.

READ THE LATEST RESEARCH | Click here to check out Policy Matters Ohio's "Funding Ohio's Future" report, which takes a look at K-12 funding in the state. To see more Policy Matters Ohio reports, click here.

OEA'S REACTION TO THE HOUSE-PASSED BUDGET BILL | On April 26, the Ohio House voted to adopt the version of the budget bill that came out of the House Finance Committee as-written. It now moves to the Senate for consideration. Click here to read OEA's press release about the public education investments in the House-passed version of the bill. 

Featured Education Matters guest: 

• Dr. Tanisha Pruitt, Policy Matters Ohio 
  • Tanisha is serving as a State Policy Fellow and Budget Researcher at Policy Matters Ohio working on examining the state budget through the lens of the K-12 school funding structure, youth safety, and reforming Ohio’s criminal legal system. 
  • Currently, Tanisha is responsible for understanding, tracking, and developing expertise on Ohio’s K-12 funding formula, its history, and its impact on equity and success. Tanisha is also focused on analyzing the budget funding streams for youth safety and development, and data support for projects related to criminal legal reform. 
  • Tanisha received a PhD in Public Policy and Urban Affairs with a concentration in International Development from Southern University and A & M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Her research interests include, International development and sustainability, closing the achievement gap, school funding and resources, broadband equity and the digital divide, dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline, sentencing reform, reducing mass incarceration for minority populations, and youth development and outcomes among underserved populations. Tanisha received her bachelor’s degree from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, in Sociology with a minor in Child and family relationships. In 2015, Tanisha received her master’s in Applied Behavioral Science from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. Tanisha currently serves as the Co-Founder and President of the Nelson Mandela Institute for Research (NMIR) at Southern University and A & M College, a senior research consultant with Crane R& D research firm, and as a research scholar with the Global Technology Management Partnership research group (GTMP), where she engages in research, conference presentations and publications. 
  • National organization memberships include the Northeastern Educational Research Association (NERA), National Organization of Black Law Enforcement (NOBLE) and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).  

SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to subscribe on Google podcasts so you don't miss a thing. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.

Connect with OEA:

• Email [email protected] with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
• Like OEA on Facebook
• Follow OEA on Twitter
• Follow OEA on Instagram
• Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
• Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues 
• Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch

About us:

• The Ohio Education Association represents about 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 an Emmy Award winning 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. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.

This episode was recorded on April 18, 2023.
The Ohio House passed its version of the state budget on April 26, 2023.

Ohioans are witnessing an alarming rise in antisemitic incidents, while, at the same time, it is becoming clear that fewer Americans than ever have even a basic understanding of what happened during the Holocaust or why that is still pressingly relevant today. Effective Holocaust curriculum in our classrooms is crucial to changing that, and studies show bad Holocaust education is worse than none at all. That's why a central Ohio synagogue is hosting middle and high school educators for a free two-day seminar this summer in a partnership with the national group Echoes and Reflections to offer professional development, classroom materials, and a powerful learning experience for all.

REGISTER FOR THE FREE SEMINAR FOR EDUCATORS | Click here for more information about the upcoming Echoes and Reflections workshop hosted by Congregation Beth Tikvah in Worthington on June 6-7, 2023, with an optional trip to the Holocaust & Humanities Center in Cincinnati on the 8th. Register by May 15.

PROGRAM SCHEDULE & HIGHLIGHTS:

• June 6th, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM | Foundations of Holocaust Education: Focus on Nazi Germany 
• June 6th, 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM | Analyzing Propaganda and Teaching Media Literacy: the Holocaust as a Case Study 
• June 7th, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM | Teaching the Holocaust Using the Humanities: Integrating Photographs, Literature, Art, and Poetry to tell the Human Story 
• June 7th, 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM | Antisemitism: Understanding and Countering this Hatred Today 
• June 8th | Teachers can opt for a third day, or those who cannot make the first days, can join for a trip to the Holocaust & Humanities Center in Cincinnati. A bus will be provided. 
• Free lunch between sessions on June 6 & 7
• Upon completion of the seminar, teachers will receive a certificate from Echoes & Reflections which can be turned in for 12 contact hours equal to 1.2 CEUs

ABOUT ECHOES AND REFLECTIONS | A joint program between the Anti-Defamation League, the USC Shoah Foundation, and Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center in Jerusalem, since 2005, Echoes and Reflections has impacted more than 125,000 educators in the United States, reaching an estimated 12 million students—and at no cost. Through its Holocaust education programs and resources, educators gain the skills, knowledge, and confidence to teach this topic effectively. Click here to learn more about bringing the free Echoes and Reflections teacher training to your colleagues.

Featured Education Matters guest: 

• Rabbi Rick Kellner, Congregation Beth Tikvah, Worthington, Ohio
  • Rabbi Rick Kellner has served as the Senior Rabbi of Congregation Beth Tikvah in Worthington since 2011. Rabbi Kellner is a graduate of the State University of NY at Albany where he studied Spanish with a focus in Secondary Education. He was ordained as a rabbi in 2007 from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Los Angeles campus. While studying at H.U.C., he also earned Masters Degrees in Jewish Education and Hebrew Letters. Rabbi Kellner currently serves as a Vice President of the Central Conference of American Rabbis. He has been a leader in Social Justice here in Ohio with an active involvement in BREAD and the Ohio Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism. Rabbi Kellner loves teaching, telling stories, working to make the world a better place, and engaging with congregants to help them find meaning and purpose in their lives.

SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to subscribe on Google podcasts so you don't miss a thing. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.

Connect with OEA:

• Email [email protected] with your feedback or ideas for future Education Matters topics
• Like OEA on Facebook
• Follow OEA on Twitter
• Follow OEA on Instagram
• Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
• Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues 
• Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch

About us:

• The Ohio Education Association represents about 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 an Emmy Award winning 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. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children. Her grandfather escaped Nazi Germany as a Jewish refugee when he was 13 years old. Katie's great-grandparents and other family members were murdered in the Holocaust. 

This episode was recorded on April 10, 2023. 

Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, was April 18, 2023.