school
Ohio’s response to Uvalde? Armed teachers and $117 million
Responding to a spate of gun violence in American schools and communities, Ohio Republicans have offered a two-pronged approach: guns and money. Last week, Republican state lawmakers passed legislation that will allow local boards of education to allow teachers to carry a firearm. Up to 24 hours of training must be required, but a board […]
GOP lawmakers pass bill allowing for armed teachers; DeWine signals support
Republican state lawmakers sent a bill to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on Wednesday that empowers local boards of education to allow teachers to carry a gun in the classroom. Under current law, a teacher would need consent of a board plus more than 700 hours of training to bear arms in school. But under House […]
Ohio kids’ COVID-19 cases overtake other age groups
Ohioans 19 and younger are now driving the state’s COVID-19 pandemic, comprising a larger share of cases than any other age group. Roughly one in three people who have contracted COVID-19 this month are 18 or younger, according to an analysis of state data. Those aged 20-29 are the next most prevalent cohort, comprising 16% […]
School vaccine records missing for tens of thousands of Ohio students
School vaccination records were missing or incomplete among roughly 1 in 5 sampled Ohio middle and high school students last year, despite state law requiring local boards of education to track immunizations records of all enrolled students. All Ohio students, per state law, must be vaccinated against mumps, tetanus, polio, measles, Hepatitis B, chicken pox […]
As classes return, 62.5% of eligible 12-18 year-olds unvaccinated
Nearly two in three age-eligible teenagers remain unvaccinated against COVID-19 as summer ends and the disease looms over its third consecutive school year. Spokespersons for the state departments of health and education said they did not know what percentage of students enrolled in public schools are vaccinated. However, looking at the total population (which would […]
House GOP takes aim at vaccine mandates from schools, employers, hospitals
Sponsor compares requesting proof of vaccination to Holocaust With demand for the COVID-19 vaccine in a recent slump, Ohio Republicans launched a pre-emptive strike Tuesday that would preclude a wide range of schools, businesses, and employers from mandating vaccinations. Rep. Jennifer Gross, R-West Chester, presented House Bill 248, the “Enact Vaccine Choice and Anti-Discrimination Act” […]
Central Ohio school threatens strike over COVID-19 safety
Fears about teachers and school safety have taken one Ohio teacher’s union to the brink of strike. The Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools Education Association said they have filed a “Notice of Intent to Strike and Picket” with the State Employment Relations Board on Oct. 2, with a potential 10-day strike, starting Oct. 13. The GJEA is […]
Ohio GOP reps introduce latest bill to weaken health department powers
Two Republicans in the Ohio House of Representatives have introduced another bill to weaken the Ohio Department of Health’s ability to issue public health orders during the pandemic. Its chance of passage is doubtful, given the laundry list of similar efforts that have either stalled out or been vetoed by the governor. GOP Reps. Susan […]
‘All ages are susceptible:’ 260 kids infected in Georgia summer camp COVID-19 outbreak
Research from the CDC details how the new coronavirus ripped through a Georgia summer camp infecting 260 attendees in a matter of days. The account, released Friday, comes as school districts nationally agonize over balancing the threat of an infectious disease and myriad collateral damage in keeping children from schoolrooms. “This investigation adds to the […]