Public Education Matters

US Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) has always been a champion for public education and educators. His daughter, Liz Brown, has had a front row seat to see her dad's leadership and commitment to Ohio's schools, workers, and families throughout her life. And, coming from a family of educators, Liz has carried on the family mission of making lives better in her own career. As Liz Brown explains on this episode of Public Education Matters, Senator Brown will continue to fight for the dignity of workers and a brighter future for all of us when he is re-elected this fall.

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

LEARN MORE ABOUT WHERE SEN. BROWN STANDS | Go to www.sherrodbrown.com to check out Sen. Brown's website and get more information about his campaign. Click here to read why OEA members are enthusiastically recommending Senator Sherrod Brown for re-election to continue his pro-public education, pro-labor work in the US Senate. Click here to watch Senator Brown's full interview on NBC4's The Spectrum that was referenced in this episode of the podcast.

Among his many priorities during his time in Washington, Sen. Brown has:

• Fought to make sure Ohio educators can retire with dignity by passing the Social Security Fairness Act which would ensure teachers, first responders, and other public sector workers and their families receive the full Social Security benefits they’ve earned.
• Secured millions to expand high-speed internet access for students and families across Ohio.
• Introduced the Educators Expense Deduction Modernization Act to quadruple the amount educators can deduct from their taxes for out-of-pocket classroom expenses.
• Led the fight to help educators become homeowners so education can remain a sustainable career path that can attract the best talent to serve our state’s students.
• Introduced the Full-Service Community School Expansion Act to help students succeed by helping schools and districts implement wraparound supports – including medical, mental, and nutrition health services, mentoring and youth development programs, technical assistance and continuing education courses.
• Spearheaded the passage of the SMART Act to reduce excessive testing that robs students and teachers of valuable instruction time.
• Secured nearly $300,000 to support training programs that prepare Ohio educators to teach life skills.
• Worked to level the playing field between workers and corporations to protect the right to organize and expand overtime pay for workers.
• Taken on Ohio’s private for-profit schools that take funds away from public schools and fought for charter school accountability.

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Featured Public Education Matters guest:

• Elizabeth Brown, Sen. Sherrod Brown's daughter, YWCA Columbus CEO
  • Elizabeth Brown became President and CEO of YWCA Columbus in 2023, with more than 15 years of experience in non-profits, government, and public policymaking, including as President Pro Tempore of Columbus City Council and as Executive Director of the Ohio Women’s Public Policy Network, a statewide collective impact project to improve women’s economic security through public policy.
  • During her years on city council, Brown spearheaded laws to protect reproductive healthcare, provide paid family leave, defend residents against threats of deportation, support low-income families through COVID disruptions, erase medical debt, and increase access to early childhood education opportunities. She also commissioned an overhaul of tax incentive policies which resulted in the city’s first affordable housing and living-wage requirements. She has additional prior experience in economic development, AmeriCorps service, and state government.
  • At YWCA Columbus, Brown steers the 138-year-old non-profit’s front-line work in housing, childcare, emergency shelter, and social justice training, all while serving the organization’s mission of eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.
  • Originally born in the Berwick neighborhood of Columbus, Brown was raised in Granville, Ohio. She is a proud public school graduate and a magna cum laude graduate of Columbia University. She and her husband Patrick Katzenmeyer live near Columbus’ University District, along with their three children Carolyn, Russell, and Maribell.

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