Public Education Matters

Dr. Chris Orban, a physics professor at the Ohio State University, is running to represent District 6 on the State Board of Education because he wants to give educators a voice in policymaking in Ohio and work to return academic standards to the Board's purview. Dr. Orban has already played a big role in changing the public education landscape in Ohio, though, through his work to transform the way math is taught in our state and expand access to discrete math and computer science curriculum for Ohio students. Dr. Orban joins us for this episode to discuss his work and his vision for the future.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CANDIDATE | Click here to visit Dr. Orban's campaign website to learn more about his qualifications, platform, and more.

MAKE A PLAN TO VOTE | Election Day is November 5, 2024. Now is the time to make your plan to vote, whether early in-person at your county board of elections location beginning October 7th, absentee by mail, or in-person on Election Day at your local polling location. Check your voter registration and find your local polling place at VoteOhio.gov

FIND THE OEA MEMBER RECOMMENDED CANDIDATES ON YOUR BALLOT | OEA members, go to ohioballot.com to see which pro-public education, pro-labor candidates are up for election in your voting district this year. OEA members who live in the State Board of Education's District 6 can learn more about Dr. Chris Orban and his campaign here.

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Featured Public Education Matters guest:

• Dr. Chris Orban, Running for Ohio State Board of Education, District 6
  • "I am a physics professor at Ohio State University. My father grew up near Cleveland and his father worked at a unionized Republic Steel plant for most of his life. My mother graduated high school in Wooster and my parents met in the marching band at Ohio State. Teaching is a frequent occupation in my family. My mother and brother are music teachers. My aunt taught art and on my wife’s side of there are English and ESL teachers and my father-in-law is an ethics professor.
  • My wife Julia and I have been married for 15 years and we have an adorable 3-year-old daughter, and two grown godchildren who lived with us in a “kinship care” arrangement when they were younger. Our experience helping to raise our godchildren opened our eyes to the struggles that students of color face in general and in the school system in particular. My wife and I have lived in the Weinland Park neighborhood for about 18 years.
  • Julia and I are active members of a progressive and multi-racial Methodist church in the north Linden neighborhood in Columbus. My wife helps connect people in our community to resources including rental assistance and utilities programs. I often lead worship at our services where we sing a mix of traditional Methodist hymns and black gospel music.
  • Although I have a reputation for being knowledgeable in science, computer science and math, I love to write and no small part of my success in life thus far has been in using writing to communicate my ideas to other people (and to funding agencies!). No matter how specialized the workforce becomes, I still believe it is important to be a well-rounded person and I am grateful to all the English and music teachers I had growing up."

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About us:

• The Ohio Education Association represents nearly 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
• Public Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May 2020, after a ten-year career as an Emmy Award winning television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children.

This episode was recorded on September 5, 2024.