1 min read

Season 6, Episode 184

Melissa Cropper Highlights Innovative Career Tech Programs in Ohio

AWF-Blogo-Logos-Template-400x400_aft

 

Guest Name:


Melissa Cropper

Guest Website:


OFT-AFT 

Guest Social Media:


Facebook

Twitter

YouTube

LinkedIn

Supportive Documents:


Melissa Cropper, President of the Ohio Federation of Teachers, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss innovative career technical education programs in New Lexington, Ohio, library censorship concerns and the impact of the gubernatorial race on education.

Cropper highlighted the groundbreaking career technical education program in the New Lexington School District, which connects education to workforce development. The program, she explained, is supported by AFT seed money and various grants. It offers students hands-on experiences in agriculture, healthcare and trades. This includes a working farm, partnerships with local businesses and plans for a simulated hospital setting. The comprehensive approach, said Cropper, ensures every student gains workforce development skills, regardless of their post-graduation plans, bridging the gap between traditional education and career readiness.

Library censorship emerged as a pressing concern, with Cropper discussing attempts to restrict LGBTQ-related displays in libraries. She explained how language slipped into last year's budget to limit certain library displays, which Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine vetoed. However, she is concerned the legislature may attempt to override this veto, potentially reintroducing censorship measures. Cropper emphasized the importance of resisting government overreach and protecting freedom of expression in public spaces.

Regarding the upcoming gubernatorial race, Cropper addressed candidate Vivek Ramaswamy's stance on education. She expressed concern over his opposition to teacher unions and his proposal to expand school vouchers without increasing education funding. Cropper argued that this approach would dilute existing resources and potentially harm public education. She also highlighted the need to combat misinformation about union membership and the use of taxpayer funds, stressing the importance of accurate representation of teachers' rights and union operations.

Listen to the full episode for more insights on Ohio's education landscape and the challenges facing public schools and teachers.


America’s Work Force is the only daily labor podcast in the US and has been on the air since 1993, supplying listeners with useful, relevant input into their daily lives through fact-finding features, in-depth interviews, informative news segments and practical consumer reports. America’s Work Force is committed to providing an accessible venue in which America's workers and their families can hear discussion on important, relevant topics such as employment, healthcare, legislative action, labor-management relations, corporate practices, finances, local and national politics, consumer reports and labor issues.

America’s Work Force Union Podcast is brought to you in part by our sponsors: AFL-CIO, American Federation of Government Employees, American Federation of Musicians Local 4, Alliance for American Manufacturing, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes-IBT, Boyd Watterson, Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, Communication Workers of America, Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local 50, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Crafts, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 6, Ironworkers Great Lakes District Council, Melwood, The Labor Citizen newspaper, Laborers International Union of North America, The National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield, North Coast Area Labor Federation, Ohio Federation of Teachers, United Labor Agency, United Steelworkers.

SUBSCRIBE ON:

Group 342

Group 341

Group 343

Group 339

Group 397

Group 397

 

Kelly Goodman on Teacher Strikes: Lessons from Detroit to Chicago

This edition of Labor 131, presented by theNational Labor Office, features Kelly Goodman, a faculty fellow at Harvard University’s Charles Warren...

Read More

Melissa Cropper Highlights Innovative Career Tech Programs in Ohio

Melissa Cropper, President of the Ohio Federation of Teachers, joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss innovative career technical...

Read More