Campus | Photo by Arden Reimer | The Wright State Guardian
In August, educators in Columbus, Ohio went on strike for better conditions for employees and students. Wright State faculty and education majors react to the current education environment.
Columbus strike
On Aug. 11, the Columbus Education Association filed its intent to strike. The strike began the following week, when teachers and students were scheduled to return to the classroom.
The association’s demands included smaller class sizes, more elective options, functional appliances and an increase in planning time among other requests, according to the CEA intent statement.
On Aug. 25, the CEA and the Columbus City School Board reached a comprehensive agreement for a new labor contract, according to the CEA official strike website. As of Aug. 28, the CEA approved the new contract with CCS, but this contract has not been made public.
Strikes in higher education
In 2019, the WSU chapter of the American Association of University Professors went on strike over issues with workload, pay and working conditions, according to the official AAUP website.
Robert Rubin, current president of WSU-AAUP, said that strikes are not a new issue.
“Strikes are always a last resort,” Rubin said. “Administration doesn’t want a strike, faculty doesn’t want a strike. We don’t want to leave our classrooms, we don’t want to leave our students.”
Rubin also expressed that one of the biggest current issues in higher education is funding.
“Students are drowning in debt, and unnecessarily so, and we have to do a better job of funding higher education in this country,” Rubin said. “I think that the issue of funding actually puts a lot of pressure on administration, and so, if there was a better way to fund education, then I think there would be a lot less pressure on all of us.”
The student perspective
WSU students planning to enter the education profession have a chance to experience the job through field experience placements.
Sireana Ison, a junior Social Science Education major, is currently completing the first field placement with Dayton Public Schools. Ison noted similar problems in Dayton to those in Columbus.
“Dayton Public Schools are considered underprivileged, and with that comes issues of overcrowding and inadequate pay for teachers versus time spent at school,” Ison said. “There are many more kids than staff, and a lot of our teachers are also facing contract issues and working without contracts in the district as well.”
Ison and Rubin shared similar thoughts on issues in the education profession.
“Payment for student teaching full time should be considered,” Ison said. “Overall, pay for teachers should also be addressed… It's easier said than done, but the way schools are funded by the state needs to be reworked if they want any kind of education reform.”
More information about teacher education with the College of Health, Education and Human Services at WSU can be found here.
