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Jackson residents protest as the Ohio Legislature considers replacing the Fair School Funding Plan

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JACKSON, Ohio (WOUB/Report for America) — Protesters lined the edge of the Manpower Park in Jackson on Saturday to call for stronger state investment in public education.

Organizers called for the protest after state leaders signaled they would not fully fund the Fair School Funding Plan in the upcoming biennial budget. The event then merged with a local Hands Off! protest put together by the Jackson County Democrats to criticize recent actions by the Trump administration. Organizers estimated over 100 people attended.

Jessica Harper, who teaches at Jackson City Schools, said she wants Ohio legislators to rethink their plans for public schools.

“The public funds that they’re wanting to cut from us, they’re wanting to give to private and charter schools. And then just this week, we found out that the (Ohio House of Representatives) would like to give $600 million to the Cleveland Browns to help build their stadium,” Harper said. “We need 400 million more dollars to fully fund (public education), but they say they don’t have it.”

A crowd of people at a protest hold signs in support of public school funding.
Protesters cheered outside Manpower Park as cars drove by and honked in support. [Theo Peck-Suzuki | WOUB/Report for America]
State legislators have defended the House plan by noting it gives a raise to every public district in the state. Harper said she thinks that’s misleading.

“They’re just trying to make it look a little prettier, without telling the rest of the story,” Harper said. “It’s still not fully funding the public education system like we are supposed to be doing.”

Under the Fair School Funding Plan, the state calculates how much each district needs to provide a quality education and funds them accordingly. However, it is at least $1 billion behind by its own calculations. Public school advocates worry the new House plan will make the gap worse.

Special education teacher Angela Compston said she came to the protest because she’s worried about what will happen to students with special needs.

“Private schools don’t have to take those students. So those students are going to have to go to an underfunded public school and have even less resources,” said Compston.

She also said vouchers don’t have a big impact in southeast Ohio.

“We only have one private school in this entire county,” Compston said. “Where are all these students gonna go if they all get vouchers? And then what’s going to happen to our public schools?”

The Ohio Senate is now debating its version of the biennial budget. The budget must be approved and signed into law by July 1.