This week marks a critical turning point in the fight to protect not only our collective bargaining rights, but public education itself. On Tuesday, Governor Kasich will unveil details of his first two-year budget. Given a looming $8 billion deficit, cuts to K-12 public education and higher education are expected to be steep and painful. Furthermore, the governor has said that it include many "reforms," not the least of which will involve diverting taxpayer dollars to unproven charter schools and voucher programs that support private schools.

Against this backdrop, it is critically important that we have a huge turnout of members at Tuesday's "Stand Up for Ohio" rallies. Twelve such rallies will be held across the state, and the only one in Central will be held at Westerville Central High School (7118 Mount Royal Ave., Westerville) from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. (This marks a change in location from what had originally been planned for the Westerville Public Library.)

Please spread the word and encourage all of your fellow members, along with their families, friends, and supporters to be there with you. This rally will take place just blocks from Governor Kasich's home and will be a great message to send a loud and clear message, right in his backyard, that policies are wrong for the middle class, wrong for children, and wrong for the future of our state.

For those of you who live a distance away from Columbus, there are similar rallies taking place in the Dayton area (at the corner of Maple St. and E. National Rd. in Vandalia), in Portsmouth (at Shawnee State University), and in Mansfield (in the Main St. Town Square), all beginning at 5:00.

There is also a rally scheduled for next Saturday, March 19, on the square in downtown Newark at noon. (Arrive at 11:00.)

Also, please continue to contact your representatives by email and telephone.

Call 1-888-907-7309 or the Direct line listed below to let your representative in the House hear from you on why SB 5 needs to be stopped.