Austintown OAPSE got no pay for event

AUSTINTOWN -- Members of a schools union were not paid by the district to attend a political event Friday at Fitch High School, Superintendent Stan Watson said.
Watson said he has received calls from residents asking if the district paid janitors, cafeteria workers and other members of the Ohio Association of Public Schools Employees Local 194 to attend Friday's event, which included a speech by Jerry Springer supporting U.S. Sen. John Kerry, the Democratic presidential nominee.
Watson stressed that the district did not pay the OAPSE members to attend the event, and he noted that the OAPSE members were not scheduled Friday because the schools were closed for an Instructional Improvement Day.
Teachers are required to be in school and attend professional development workshops on Instructional Improvement days, which are held twice during the year. OAPSE does not include teachers as its members.
Watson added that like any other community group, OAPSE paid the district to rent to Fitch cafeteria for the event. He added that he spoke about school funding issues at the event.