On August 22, 2022, more than 4,000 Columbus teachers, librarians, nurses, counselors, psychologists and other education professionals went out on strike to win the safe, fully resourced, properly maintained schools every Columbus student deserves. The Columbus Education Association's three-day strike resulted in a contract agreement that included monumental wins for Columbus students, educators, and the community, but that contract was just the beginning. CEA members Regina Fuentes and Annelise Taggart reflect on what has happened in the six months since the strike and the work that is still ahead.
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Featured Education Matters guests:
- Regina Fuentes, Columbus Education Association member
- Regina R. Fuentes is a 24 year veteran English teacher at Eastmoor Academy High School. She has worked for Columbus City Schools her entire teaching career. Regina is also an alumni of CCS, Northland graduating Class of 1994. For the last six years she has also served in the position of Spokesperson for the Columbus Education Association and was an important voice in the 2022 teacher strike.
- Annelise Taggart, Columbus Education Association member
- Annelise Taggart is in her 7th year teaching Elementary Art in Columbus City Schools. She has taught under at least six different principals, at five different buildings, from four different classrooms, two different carts, and from her laptop. Annelise has served as a Faculty Representative for the Visual Art Unit of the Columbus Education Association for 5 years, previously served as a Member Ambassador for Ohio's New Educators and Chair of Columbus Early Career Educators, and proudly served for the first time this past year as a member of the core bargaining team negotiating the 2022-2025 Master Agreement.
Connect with OEA:
About us:
- TheOhio 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 March 14, 2023.
