September 26th

Professional Conduct for Ohio Educators. There is nothing in the legislation that requires or even suggests that local boards adopt the code at the district level. Rather, it is to be used by the State Department as a guide for making decisions regarding the licensure status of a teacher who is found to have violated the code.

We applaud those provisions in HB 190 and the conduct code for Ohio educators that rid classrooms and schools of individuals who have been found to be a threat to the safety and well-being of students. We also support any initiative whose goal is to have a qualified, responsible educator in every classroom. However, we continue to have serious concerns over the latest draft of the ESB’s code. Teachers accused of misconduct must be guaranteed impartial hearings and investigations, as well as all other due process rights under the law. A provision in the latest draft of the Principles requires educators to report “perceived”

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H.B. 190, approved by the Ohio legislature and signed into law by Governor Strickland in November, mandates a number of practices that place teachers and other school employees and their past and current conduct under unprecedented scrutiny. New requirements for criminal and FBI background checks and a yet to be adopted Licensure Code of Professional Conduct are the centerpieces of HB 190.

EXPANDED BACKGROUND CHECKS

BCII background checks are nothing new to teachers who have entered the profession in recent years. This year, the new law requires all school employees to undergo, at defined intervals, not just BCII checks, but FBI checks as well. This includes teachers who earned permanent certificates years ago and until now have never been subject to any type of criminal check at all. The results of teacher background checks must be provided to the State Department of Education. The Department will be responsible for investigating any offenses appearing on the reports and ultimately determining whether a teacher’s credential should be revoked or suspended.

STANDARDS BOARD DEVELOPING “LICENSURE CODE”

The Ohio Educator Standards Board (ESB), created in 2004 and dominated by public school classroom teachers, is mandated by H.B. 190 to recommend a conduct code for Ohio educators to the State Board by February 12. The ESB has completed several drafts of the document which has been named “Principles of

SAVE THESE DATES!

Friday, May 23

27^th Annual AEA Night at the Stadium

Central Division Champion

Cleveland Indians

VS.

TEXAS RANGERS

Saturday, May 31

4^th Annual AEA Golf Scramble

Brookledge Golf Course

Idiocy and Silliness Continues In Columbus

As if recessionary threats to the integrity of the state budget aren’t enough to dampen earlier hopes of school funding reform in Ohio, one member of the Ohio House must really enjoy adding to the misery of Ohio school teachers. Rep. Arlene Setzer (R,Vandalia) has introduced HB 423, a horrific piece of legislation

violations of the Principles by their fellow educators. The unbounded potential for petty “tattling” is obvious (the phrase “conduct unbecoming an educator” is sprinkled throughout the draft), and the possibility of damaging the professional climate in a building is real. If, in the end, this reporting requirement remains, there must be civil immunity for educators who make good faith reports of misconduct. Lastly, there will likely be attempts by local districts to discipline employees for conduct included in the Principles. Any such attempts will only be appropriate if they adhere to the locally negotiated disciplinary policies, actions and procedures.

that would certainly bring turmoil to collective bargaining around the state.

A case can be made for intelligent debate (which leaves her out, as far as we’re concerned) on the first part of Setzer’s bill. National Board certified teachers would be penalized financially unless they teach science, technology, engineering or

AEA, Admin Reach Agreement on Tutors’ Responsibilities

AEA and district administrators have agreed to a set of rules relating to the work schedule of 24 hour tutors. The rules provide long-needed clarification of tutors’ responsibilities with respect to inservice activities, Open House, conferences and other board-sponsored events that frequently fall outside of the tutors’ established work days and hours. Copies of the agreement have been provided to all tutors. The terms of the agreement will in all likelihood be incorporated into the next collective bargaining agreement between the parties.

Trustees Endorse Heydorn In County Council Primary

In a break with past practice, AEA Trustees have endorsed fellow teacher and incumbent Louise Heydorn (Miller-South) in her Republican primary race against John Widowfield. Heydorn has been a council member since 1993. Widowfield, on the other hand, was named the laziest state legislator in a Columbus Monthly survey conducted last year. Said one respondent: “He’s what’s right about term limits.”

AEA does not normally endorse candidates at the county level. Please support Louise with your vote on March 4.

math in grades 9 through 12 or unless they teach in a building in academic watch or academic emergency.

The remainder of Setzer’s bill is anathema to the principle of collective bargaining. The bill permits school districts to pay wage rate differentials to teachers who teach in high demand or priority grade levels (as identified by the local district). Now, the idea is by no means innovative; it has been around for some time and because it involves teacher wages, it is a mandatory subject of bargaining under Ohio law. What makes Setzer’s bill so onerous is that she proposes removing differential pay, the length of the school day and the length of the school year from among the items that are mandatory subjects of bargaining. Incredibly, Setzer is a retired teacher! There is, however, one bit of good news about the bill. No other legislator is listed as a co-sponsor!

Health Benefits Committee Work Nears Completion

When we ratified our contract last summer, the Agreement included provisions for the Health Benefits Advisory Committee to meet this year and make changes to the health care coverage that would save the Board $1.5 million. The Committee, which includes representatives from all bargaining units and the administration, has been meeting throughout the year and is nearly finished with its work. In fact, a final decision on the changes to be made to the health care package will most likely be determined this month or in March at the latest. The changes will be effective in July.

Most of the Committee’s discussion has centered on the prescription drug plan and the co-pays for name brand and generic drugs. From July through October of 2007, the prescription plan cost the Board $3.4 million.