Teacher’s Strike Shows Union’s True Colors

Teacher’s Strike Shows Union’s True Colors

Teacher’s Strike Shows Union’s True Colors

Over the past several weeks, a handful of teacher’s unions across Ohio have taken drastic measures and gone on strike against their school administration over their contracts. At a time when families and communities are struggling to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and the myriad regulations imposed to limit its spread, teacher unions like the Gahanna Jefferson Education Association (GJEA) elected to go on strike, leaving their students to pay the ultimate price.

News outlets covered teachers picketing outside administrative offices, but what most of the public didn’t see was the childish bullying carried out by the very educators parents have entrusted to teach their children not to bully.

Members of GJEA went as far as bringing an inflatable rat to a training center hoping to intimidate teachers who crossed the picket line because they had more concern for their students than for union theatrics.

Concerned parents quickly took to social media and made their voices heard.

“The teachers who ‘crossed the line’ have been nothing but kind and respectful when speaking to our kids about why their teachers aren’t there. (They say) they are a family and all love each other but have different ideas for keeping each other safe. Seeing photos of teachers standing next to a giant blow up rat aimed at those who crossed the line is the definition of bullying and what we all try so hard to teach our kids not to do.”

GJEA’s juvenile tactics continued to escalate with teachers visiting school board members’ homes. A group of roughly 40 educators laid on their horns as they drove through neighborhoods causing such a disturbance the police were called, resulting in some union bullies being charged.

It would later be discovered that GJEA shared the home addresses of three specific board members, all of whom are women.

It’s unfortunate GJEA takes pride in these kinds of tactics, but they’re standard union operating procedure. Unions foster a bullish work environment with zero accountability, which has left parents to wonder how those teachers will conduct themselves when they return to the classroom.

“I am considering pulling my daughter out and homeschooling after the displays of bullying I have witnessed by members of the GJEA. How can I be sure those teachers coming back to work won’t bully my child at school?”

The strike has come to an end, at least for now, but the ones who paid and will continue to pay the ultimate price are the students. The entire school system has to work its way out of the mess GJEA left in its wake after the strike. Parents wondered what would become of the time lost.

“If at all a suggestion, could the union also discuss with the teachers to put out a notice to students and parents that no harm will come to students and their grades for work assigned during the strike? Just a thought, since many of the assignments left the kids to teach themselves.”

“My kids have made it through OK, like most, but I just feel for all the kids hit so hard they couldn’t get all their work done without the support of their teachers and counselors.”

Gahanna Jefferson School teachers are simply fed up with GJEA, and the Freedom Foundation is right by their side to help guide them through the opt-out process. GJEA has already begun denying these teachers their right to leave the union, but we will continue to fight and defend teachers’ First Amendment rights.

For now, GJEA touts the fact that it is “572 strong,” but that simply won’t be the case much longer. Not when your true colors run dark with bullying, intimidation, sexism and disregard for children’s futures.

Ohio Director
lqueen@freedomfoundation.com
Lindsey Queen is the Ohio Director at the Freedom Foundation. Based in Columbus, Ohio, Lindsey will work to further the Foundation’s new and exciting expansion into the Midwest. A native of Decatur, Georgia, Lindsey came to Ohio to earn her Bachelor’s degree in Politics and Government at Ohio Wesleyan University. Lindsey has experience in both State and local government, as well as Public Affairs and Lobbying for various statewide non-profit organizations. Lindsey will lead outreach, fundraising, legislative and litigative strategies to promote and build the Freedom Foundation’s mission in advancing individual liberty, free enterprise and limited accountable government. In her spare time, Lindsey enjoys spending time with family and friends, training for half marathons, cooking and traveling.