Teachers in Columbus vote to strike after rejecting school board’s offer

COLUMBUS — Sunday night, the Columbus teachers’ union voted to strike after an agreement could not be reached with the Columbus school board.

Our news partners at WBNS report Columbus teachers are set to begin picketing today at 7:00 a.m.

Over 94% of Columbus Education Association members voted to reject the board’s offer, making this the first time Columbus teachers have gone on strike since 1975.

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CEA spokesperson Regina Fuentes said, “It is with a full understanding of the sacrifices that students, parents, and teachers will make together to win the schools Columbus Students Deserve that CEA members overwhelmingly rejected the Board’s last, best, and final offer tonight and voted to strike.”

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther urged both sides to negotiate to get students back in the classroom.

On August 21, the Columbus City Schools tweeted that the board of education presented their final offer. Stating that the offer is a “strong offer that is responsive to the concerns that have been raised.”

The National Education Association put out a statement on its Twitter page saying, “We join in solidarity with our [Columbus Education Association] union family and their community as they strike for better learning conditions, smaller class sizes, and well-rounded curriculum for their students that includes art, music and P.E. instruction.”

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