June – July 2023 Ohio Schools
- COVER STORY: Celebrating Schools: 25th Annual Create a Cover contest highlights award-winning artwork by Ohio students.
- FEATURE: East Palestine members serve as constant caring support for students following Norfolk Southern train derailment.
- LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
- SJR2 heads to the August 8, 2023 special election as Issue 1
- Bill to restrict the voice of higher education employees passes in the Ohio Senate
- ASSOCIATION
- Delegates to the 2023 OEA Spring Representative Assembly take action to protect, defend, and strengthen public education in Ohio
- OEA Board of Director actions
- In memorium
Moved recently? Contact the OEA Member Hotline to update the address on file at 1-844-OEA-Info (1-844-632-4636) or email, membership@ohea.org. Representatives are available Monday-Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. | OhioSchools — Past Issues
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December – January 2023 Ohio Schools
- COVER STORY: Power to Change the World: 2023 Ohio Teacher of the Year Melissa Kmetz says the most important lesson she can teach students is to know their power
- FEATURE
- Family Ties: As the number of students pursuing education declines, and district throughout the state find it increasingly difficult to fill positions, a new generation offers hope for the profession, joining their parents as Ohio educators
- DEPARTMENTS
- President’s Message
- Extra Credit
- Political Action
Moved recently? Contact the OEA Member Hotline to update the address on file at 1-844-OEA-Info (1-844-632-4636) or email, membership@ohea.org. Representatives are available Monday-Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. | OhioSchools — Past Issues
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July 2022 Ohio Schools
- COVER STORY: Award-winning art for 24th Annual Create a Cover Contest highlights what Ohio’s students love most about their schools
- SUBJECT MATTER
- OEA marks 175 years as the Voice for Public School Educators and Students
- FEATURE
- Direct Conversation
- Retirement System Update
- Political Action
Moved recently? Contact the OEA Member Hotline to update the address on file at 1-844-OEA-Info (1-844-632-4636) or email, membership@ohea.org. Representatives are available Monday-Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. | OhioSchools — Past Issues
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April – May 2022 Ohio Schools
- COVER STORY: Prioritizing Student Health – When COVID-19 threatened those under his care, district school nurse David Pryer made sure Allen East students, teachers, and staff could return to school safely
- MAKING THE GRADE
- Oberlin’s Kurt Russell Named Finalist for 2022 National Teacher of the Year
- Association
- OEA to Hold In-Person 2022 Spring Representative Assembly with Virtual Component on May 7
- Candidates of OEA Statewide Election
- Proposed Amendments to the OEA Amended and Restated Constitution and Bylaws Spring 2022
Moved recently? Contact the OEA Member Hotline to update the address on file at 1-844-OEA-Info (1-844-632-4636) or email, membership@ohea.org. Representatives are available Monday-Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. | OhioSchools — Past Issues
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February – March 2022 Ohio Schools
- COVER STORY: Pathways to Success – Educational Pathways program aims to set future teachers up for success.
- MAKING THE GRADE
- Ohio Paraprofessionals Honored as Ohio’s Nominees for National Recognizing Inspirational School Employees (RISE) Award
- OEA Members Recognized as Top NEA Cyber-lobbyists
- A Typical American Teacher’s Brain on Any Given School Day
- POLITICAL ACTION
- Biden Administration Delivers Results for Public Education and America in First Year
Moved recently? Contact the OEA Member Hotline to update the address on file at 1-844-OEA-Info (1-844-632-4636) or email, membership@ohea.org. Representatives are available Monday-Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. | OhioSchools — Past Issues
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OEA Legal Services — Protecting Your Rights
The cost of hiring an attorney to protect employment rights or a personal legal matter should not be a deterrent to an OEA member.
Each year, the OEA-NEA Legal Services Program provides paid legal representation to members who are forced to take legal action in a matter relating to their job.
If attempts to resolve the situation through administrative procedures fail, an OEA member can contact their OEA Labor Relations Consultant to apply for Legal Services Program assistance.
If the application is approved, OEA will assign the case to an attorney in a law firm that specializes in education employee representation. Examples of cases that may qualify for coverage are contract termination, suspension or non-renewal, continuing contract rights, deprivation of a member’s rights, privileges or benefits provided by Ohio education laws, a local master contract, the individual member’s contract or the employer’s policy; demotion and/or reassignment; salary disputes; leaves of absence and/or reinstatement rights; and certification or licensing matters.
Local associations may qualify for assistance for contract enforcement; State Employment Relations Board representation; services related to bargaining or impasse, including interest arbitration; and for crisis situations, such as a strike or a bargaining election. Local associations also are reimbursed for most of the costs of grievance arbitration and impasse panels.
Representation Before State Agencies
OEA also represents member concerns before a variety of state boards and agencies, including the State Board of Education, Ohio Department of Education, Educator Standards Board, State Employment Relations Board, Ohio Department of DD, School Employee Health Care Board, and the three retirement systems to which OEA members belong—the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS), the School Employees Retirement System (SERS), and the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS).
Unfair Labor Practice
An unfair labor practice is a charge filed with the State Employment Relations Board (SERB) that alleges a violation of Chapter 4117. Such violations can include the following:
- Bad faith bargaining or refusal to bargain;
- Retaliation for association activity;
- Interference with the formation or administration of an association;
- A failure of the association in its duty to fairly represent all bargaining unit members; and,
- Refusal of the employer to process grievances, among other actions.
Click here to learn more. If you feel that you or your association has been the victim of an unfair labor practice, you should contact your Labor Relations Consultant, who will begin the process of assigning an OEA attorney to the case.
Weingarten Rights
Every OEA member is guaranteed the right to union representation during an investigatory interview conducted by his or her employer if the interview could in any way lead to discipline, including termination, or could affect the member’s personal or working conditions. In this situation, the member should request that an association representative or officer be present at the meeting. Click here to learn more.
Employee Liability Protection
If a member is confronted with a lawsuit over something that happens to a student while under the member’s supervision, the law says the school board must provide the member legal representation and protect him/her from financial loss. But if the school board threatens to renege on its responsibility, a member can count the Association for protection. Click here to learn more.
Attorney Referral Program
NEA/OEA have identified attorneys throughout the state who have agreed to handle certain personal legal matters at a substantially reduced rate. Click here to learn more.
NEA/OEA Attorney Referral Program
NEA/OEA have identified attorneys throughout the state who have agreed to handle certain personal legal matters at a substantially reduced rate
The NEA/OEA Attorney Referral Program provides members with legal advice on personal matters. Each member — including their spouse, domestic partner, and dependent children — are eligible for two free 30-minute consultation sessions during the calendar year.
Attorneys do not prepare draft or review documents during a consultation. However, if further legal help is appropriate, the NEA/OEA Attorney Referral Program can provide additional assistance at a 30% discounted rate.
The 30% discounted rate is made available for legal work performed in these five “core” areas:
- Real Estate
- Wills & Estates
- Domestic Relations
- Consumer Protection (including bankruptcy)
- Traffic Violations
Participating attorneys are located throughout the state; therefore, you are not limited to the attorneys closest to you. Download a list of participating attorneys by county.
* The discounted program rate does not apply to the defense of criminal violations (other than the traffic matters), as well as business dealings and tax matters.
Page Updated August 7, 2023
OEA Member Resource Guide 2017
Use this guide as an overview to help you make the most of your OEA Membership. Within, you’ll learn more about:
- Ways to Become Involved
- Fighting for Public Education
- OEA Staff, Leadership, and Board of Directors
- OEA Higher Education Benefit
- Awards and Scholarships
- Valuable NEA Member Benefits and Services
Throughout our more than 150-year history, OEA members have been involved in every struggle and effort to advance the finest of America’s dreams: a quality public education for every child.
If you have additional questions, contact us at 1-844-OEA-Info (1-844-632-4636) or send us an email to: membership@ohea.org.
Moved recently? Contact the OEA Member Hotline to update the address on file at 1-844-OEA-Info (1-844-632-4636) or email, membership@ohea.org. Representatives are available Monday-Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. | OhioSchools — Past Issues
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Social Media Guidelines for Educators
Dos And Don’ts For Educators
Whether you’re just considering becoming involved with social media or you’ve already established an identity on one or multiple sites, you need to use these channels wisely. OEA has developed the following guidelines on using social media to help protect yourself both personally and professionally.
- DO: Know the privacy settings of every channel you use and keep abreast of any changes to them (see Additional Resources). You have to decide for yourself what level of privacy is right for you, however OEA recommends sharing only with people you know personally. For instance, on Twitter we recommend blocking your tweets so only individuals you approve can see them. Taking just a few minutes to establish strict online settings will go a long way toward keeping what you post restricted. Additionally, try to be “anonymous” whenever possible. Don’t include information that could put your identity at risk.
- DO: Understand that there’s no such thing as a truly “private” post. Once you publish something through social media, you lose a degree of control over your message. Even if you set your privacy settings appropriately, to be shared only with people you know, your posts can still be captured via screenshot, printed, or copied and pasted into an email and shared beyond your intended audience.
- DO: Understand the limits of your First Amendment rights. Free speech rights are fairly limited for educators: their speech is protected only if they speak out as citizens on “matters of public concern” and their speech doesn’t disrupt the school. So matters of personal concern, e.g. social activities, partying, personal gripes, etc., are not protected. Tenured teachers have far greater job security than probationary teachers — they can’t be fired except for “just cause” — but it’s not the First Amendment that protects them.
- DO: Learn The Licensure Code of Professional Conduct for Ohio Educators.
- DO: Find out if your school or district has an Acceptable Use Policy for the Internet and/or social media. Make sure everything you do online is in keeping with these and other pertinent policies, as well as state and federal laws and regulations. You will be held responsible for what you post both by your school and legal entities. If your school doesn’t have an official policy, take this opportunity to help develop one.
- DO: Keep work and play separate. Regardless of your school or district’s policy, never use school property for personal communications. Do not log onto your email on the school’s computer. Do not bring your laptop to school and access the school’s network. Never access your personal email or send texts on your mobile device using the school’s Wi-Fi. Also keep a clear distinction between your personal and professional identities online. Don’t friend students, parents, and people you only know professionally, or otherwise connect with them through your personal account. If you want to use social media professionally, create a separate account for this and maintain appropriate boundaries and language at all times. Alternatively, you could use a social network specifically designed for connecting professionally.
- DO: Monitor your own internet presence, so you’re aware of content posted by others about you or content posted by an imposter posing as you. Create a Google alert to notify you when anything about you has been posted. Monitor comments that are posted to your page and your friends’ photographs. Delete inappropriate language or content. If someone “tags” you in an inappropriate photograph, remove the tag and ask the friend to take the photo down.
- DO: Contact OEA if you have any questions. If you’re about to publish something that makes you even the slightest bit uncomfortable, feel free to discuss it with your Labor Relations Consultant.
- DON’T post profanity, obscenity or anything that depicts you in an unfavorable light, including, but certainly not limited to, any images with you drinking, using drugs, in questionable settings, with disreputable companions, in inappropriate attire, or engaging in illegal activities.
- DON’T vent online. Under no circumstances should you ever tell stories about work that include personally identifiable details, such as full names, job titles, addresses, phone numbers, pay, or other information protected by state and federal privacy laws. Even eliminating any specific information about your situation and/or presenting it as a hypothetical puts you at risk.
- DON’T post anything related to a student, no matter how harmless you think it is. Never counsel a student online.
- DON’T accept an online relationship with anyone who you do not know offline. This is true for everyone, not just educators. Don’t assume Facebook friends of your friends are safe.
- DON’T join groups that may be considered unprofessional or inappropriate, and leave any such group of which you are already a member.
Additional Resources
Facebook Privacy Settings and Tools: https://www.facebook.com/about/basics
Twitter Support: https://support.twitter.com
YouTube Help Center: https://support.google.com/youtube
Pinterest Help Center: https://help.pinterest.com
Help for Flickr: https://help.flickr.com
How to Create Social Media Guidelines for Your School: http://bit.ly/Lx3bJV
Online Database of Social Media Policies: http://bit.ly/KPYOJA
Download these guidelines.
Commonsense Pointers for Avoiding False Allegations
Whenever possible, never be alone with a student. That’s because a student’s allegations made when there are no other witnesses hinge on credibility, and authorities often tend to favor the alleged victim in these circumstances. So don’t be alone with a student in a house or a car, and never give a student a ride home. To the extent possible, avoid being alone with a student in a classroom.
Risky situations include: one-on-one tutoring, counseling, after-school or recess detention, and make-up tests. If you can’t avoid being alone with a student at school, keep the door open and stay in plain sight.
Always maintain a professional demeanor and distance. That means: no flirting, teasing, or joking about sex. Don’t socialize with students or treat them as “pals” or “friends.” Never give gifts, unless you give one to every student, and don’t single out any one student for constant special attention or flattery.
Never send e-mails, text messages, or cards to students unrelated to schoolwork. Don’t ask students about their social lives or comment on their personal appearance and avoid discussing intimate details of your own private life. Don’t hire students to babysit or allow them to visit your home. Be the adult and maintain boundaries.
Avoid physical contact with students. This is a particularly difficult area. Younger children often seek and need physical comfort from their teachers who, sadly, may be the only source of compassion and love that some students have. In the early elementary grades, an occasional hug is probably OK. But as a general rule, it’s best to avoid most forms of physical contact, especially kissing, hair stroking, tickling, and frontal hugging. And use common sense: a “high five” to acknowledge a job well done is fine; a slap on the bottom is not.
Male teachers have to be especially careful when it comes to physical contact of any sort. While a female teacher’s touch may be perceived as comforting, a male teacher’s may be viewed as sexually suggestive. And male employees are far more likely to be accused of inappropriate contact with students than female employees. According to one expert, accusations involving female teachers and male students make up less than 5 percent of the cases.
Avoid using physical force to enforce discipline. When students are misbehaving or out of control, avoid touching or grabbing them to get their attention. Instead, use verbal commands and other disciplinary methods.
There may be a rare occasion when you will have to use physical force in self-defense or to prevent injury to others. If that happens, use the minimum force necessary to prevent harm and immediately call for help. Also, if this is a persistent problem, you may want to ask your district for special training.
Never allow a student to obsess over you. While a crush can be flattering, it also can be fatal, so always nip it in the bud. An unfulfilled fantasy can result in a student acting out to gain attention or retaliating for being ignored. If a student expresses a love interest, respond with an unambiguous “no.” Don’t equivocate and certainly don’t encourage the student by acting pleased by the attention. It’s also advisable to share this information with another adult and your Association representative. In some circumstances, it may be appropriate to tell your supervisor and ask that the student be transferred.
Be particularly wary of “troubled” students. This is a tough one. Some students come to school with a host of emotional needs and chronic problems, and they may confide in their classroom teacher and ask for support and guidance. Particularly for a student with emotional problems, a teacher’s efforts to help unfortunately can be misconstrued as something more and may lead to an infatuation or dependence. Plus you don’t have the skills or training needed to assist.
While you can and should express concern and compassion, don’t take on the role of confidant or counselor. Instead, refer the student to the school counselor, a trained professional who has both the expertise to assess what services the student may need and the experience to know how to arrange for the delivery of those services to the student.
Be especially vigilant if you hold certain teaching positions. Anecdotal evidence suggests that employees who perform certain jobs are at increased risk of false allegations. These include athletic coaches and performing arts teachers —drama, band, chorus, and debate, as well as publications advisers. This trend may be the product of the intense nature of such activities, which may weaken teacher/student boundaries, coupled with a substantial amount of after-school, weekend, and off-campus contact.