By: Team Sherrod

Today, we’re so excited to launch Educators for Sherrod, a constituency group focused on Sherrod’s longtime advocacy for Ohio’s educators.

Whether he’s fighting for increased funding for key programs like Head Start or pushing back against Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos’ work to undermine public education, Ohio students and teachers know they can count on Sherrod.

Here are just a few of the incredible educators proud to stand with Sherrod:

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Dean Bryson

Dean is in his 6th year teaching science at a public high school in Cleveland and is proud to support Sherrod because of his strong record of advocating for Ohio students.

“I teach high school, and by the time students get here, some of them aren’t in a place to perform well on the ACT or SAT,” he said. “I think that many students aren’t being given the resources to succeed from a very young age. They’re behind when they enter kindergarten, and then as they matriculate up to high school, they continue to track behind. This is a problem across Ohio, but it hits students from low socioeconomic backgrounds hardest.”

Education is an issue Sherrod has worked hard to address, voting to protect and expand Head Start and Early Head Start programs, and defending federal funding for Ohio schools. That’s part of why Dean is excited to stand with him this fall.

“I tell my students, ‘This is your voice. This is your opportunity to put who you want in office,’” he said. “We have to act accordingly and support people like Sherrod, who will fight to expand access to resources throughout the state.”

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Kay Wait

Kay Wait is a teacher and instructional planner in the Toledo Public Schools, and also serves as Executive Secretary for the Toledo Federation of Teachers. She stands with Sherrod Brown because of his continued support of public education.

“He spoke to us at an Ohio Federation of Teachers event, and I was extremely impressed with his understanding of the core issues affecting public education and his commitment to addressing them on behalf of Ohio’s students and educators,” Kay said.

Specifically, she was encouraged by his criticism of how the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow (ECOT) scandal was handled in Ohio. As she said, we need leaders who will support funding going to public education, not being funneled away without oversight.

Beyond ECOT, Kay views over-testing as a major issue affecting Ohio students. She knows that Sherrod will continue to fight for students and teachers—not the leaders of testing companies.

“It’s important that our elected officials support the idea that schooling is about preparing our students to be engaged citizens, to develop soft skills as well as academic skills, and to deny testing companies the ability to determine what students do during the school year,” she said. “We have a real opportunity this year to move away from the over-emphasis on a test score, and make sure the focus in our schools is more about the whole child. Sherrod has students’ best interests in mind. I’m proud to stand with him.”

 

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Rob Fetters

Rob is a high school social studies teacher in Mount Vernon, Ohio, who’s been teaching for more than 20 years. Rob followed his mother’s footsteps into education—she spent almost 40 years teaching elementary school in the Columbus City Schools.

Citing Sherrod’s work on public education, Rob is proud to support him this fall.

“There are numerous examples of Sherrod clearly being on the side of teachers, educators, and students,” he said. “Sherrod did a great job standing up to Betsy DeVos. She wants to privatize public education and I think that would be a seriously dangerous path to go down. I see ECOT as an example of what could happen if we let our whole country do what Betsy DeVos wants to do.”

With the stakes higher than ever this fall, Rob is spreading the word to his colleagues, students, and friends about why it’s so important we keep Sherrod in office, fighting on behalf of all those in education.

“Social studies teachers like me have a saying that every election is the most important election,” Rob said. “But I really think this year is one of those once-in-a generation opportunities to change the direction of our country to benefit our students. Ohio’s been very fortunate to have had Sherrod in leadership roles, and we need to keep him fighting for us in the Senate.”

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Carol Nance

Carol is a Special Education teacher in Fairfield.

Frustrated with Texas’ right-to-work laws, she got involved with the Ohio Education Association as soon as she moved to Ohio, and as a result, has learned a lot about how legislators make a difference in protecting educators’ rights. She’s excited to support Sherrod this fall.

“I had an opportunity to participate in a town hall with Sherrod and I loved what he had to say about education,” she said. “He’s working hard from Washington, D.C. to protect us here in Ohio. He has our backs. You can call his office and he’ll get back to you—any time of the year. He is somebody I can say has my interests, as an educator, at heart.”

Carol is proud to support Sherrod this fall because, as she puts it, his commitment to education mirrors her own.

“What I try to make happen for the kids at my school is what I try to make happen for my own children,” she said. “It’s personal. He works for us.”