Sunday, June 28, 2015
Staff report
YOUNGSTOWN
The union representing Youngstown teachers has also voiced its dissatisfaction with the state plan to oversee the city’s schools.
The plan, approved late last week by the state Legislature, abolishes the Youngstown City School District Academic Distress Commission and establishes a new five-member panel in its place.
Within 60 days after the state superintendent designates a commission chairman or chairwoman from his appointees, the new panel will appoint a school district chief executive officer to run the district.
The Youngstown Education Association, in a statement released Saturday, said it is disappointed the leaders that created HB 70 failed to include the input of the school district’s teachers.
The union represents more than 500 teachers.
“This continues a pattern of excluding teachers in the discussion concerning the education of the children of Youngstown,” the statement said.
“There is no group of individuals who have more education, experience and insight into the needs of the children of our district, yet we are continuously left out of the conversation,” the statement continues.
Larry Ellis is YEA president, and the statement he signed said the union “plans to do everything in its power to become the real advocate for public education in this city, and have their voice heard as to what works to educate our children.”
Some school board members and state lawmakers have also criticized the state plan.