On Monday afternoon, Ohio teachers and union leaders called on the U.S. Senate to pass a COVID relief bill immediately.
As the U.S. Senate debates what to include in the “HEROES” Coronavirus relief package, Ohio educators say they need help to reopen schools and keep kids safe.
Scott DiMauro, President of the Ohio Education Association, says Ohio could be seeing “devastating job cuts” without federal relief.
“The NEA [National Education Association] estimates that 44,926 education jobs in Ohio alone are at risk if the HEROES Act doesn’t pass. We know the bill isn’t perfect, but we need congress to stop bickering, work together, and stand up for the needs of our students,” DiMauro said.
He’s quick to note that cuts would come at a time when schools need more teachers and more substitutes, for when teachers get sick and have to quarantine. They’ll also need more school nurses, more bus drivers, and more technology for distance learning. And this is at a time when Governor DeWine has cut $300 million in state funding for education.
