By Owen Pennington

On Tuesday, Nov. 5, the Cleveland Metropolitan School District’s school levy, Issue 49 will appear on the ballots of more than thousands of Clevelanders.

While it is presented as one issue, it actually serves two purposes: a levy to cover day-to-day operations like salaries, and a bond issue to continue to build and repair CMSD facilities. 

To give a more in-depth perspective on this issue, The Unsilenced Voices of CMSD interviewed Shari Obrenski, president of the Cleveland Teachers Union. She says she is a supporter of Issue 49, playing an active role in the canvassing efforts of volunteers in getting its message spread. 

The Campaign Trail

Regarding the campaign, Obrenski said one big challenge was getting the message out to people. 

“Just like with any campaign, it takes a lot of money,” she said, “none of the finances for the Issue 49 campaign can come from the district.” 

In explaining how the money was acquired to fund it, She said the funding for the campaign came from the Cleveland Teachers Union and donations to the levy campaign, run through a political action committee (PAC).

These funds were used in order to print materials and brochures, put up billboards, invest in signs, and more. The ultimate goal of funding this campaign was “to be able to utilize those limited resources in the maximal way possible to hit as many voters as possible,” she said.

What if it doesn’t pass?

CMSD is already tightening its belt when it comes to programs, activities, and opportunities for students, with the district projected to be almost out of money by the end of the next school year. 

This problem, according to Obrenski, will only be exacerbated if the levy does not pass. The increasing deficit from year to year if Issue 49 is stricken down will “most definitely result in layoffs of school personnel and a reduction in the programming that the district can offer,” she said. 

Putting it even more bluntly, she added that the district will have to consider going down to the “bare minimum” in services that they are legally obligated to provide. 

She said in the past, the district has had to make cuts to services to make up for a lack of funding, including reducing the amount of busing it provides to students. 

What are the benefits for the childless?

Obrenski said Issue 49 would have a direct benefit for the children and for their families if it gets passed, providing greater opportunities for education and closer proximity of schools to households for parents. However, the question was brought up on if there were any benefits for childless voters on this issue. After all, a significant portion of Cleveland’s adult population do not have children. 

“The success in our schools means the success of our community… if you don’t invest in children, you invest in prisons,” she said in response.

She said that the primary function of schools is to shape children into productive adults, and that the strength of the city long-term is contingent on the strength of the school system. 

This would be seen through the future adults’ economic and labor contributions to the city, significantly diminished without a proper education that she believes this levy will help stimulate, she said.

Near the end of the interview, she responded to a question on what her message to voters would be. 

“I’m hopeful that our community will continue to choose hope and choose the future.. if they (Cleveland Voters) pass Issue 49, we will continue to provide a quality education for Cleveland’s kids,” she said