The Fight to Save Public Education in Ohio: Voices from Canton City Schools

In episode 193, we sit down with a school counselor, union president, and superintendent to talk about vouchers, testing, and what’s really going on in Ohio’s public schools right now. Don’t worry! We also talk about how you can help - VOTE IN NOVEMBER! Thank you to Allie Childress, Jeff Talbert, and Paul Palomba for joining us.Allie Childress is a School Counselor at Canton City Schools . She grew up in Akron, Ohio and graduated from Springfield Local Schools. She got her bachelors in Psychology and Sociology as well as her Masters of Education in School Counseling from Bowling Green State University. She spent two years in North Carolina working as a school counselor in elementary schools and relocated back to Ohio and is entering her fourth year in Canton City Schools as a middle school counselor and serves on the CPEA board as an organizer. She also helps run the social media campaign Stark Voices for Public Education which has a goal to get Stark County out to vote in favor of public education this November.Jeff Talbert, Canton City Schools Superintendent, is an educational leader dedicated to providing high-quality teaching and safe, engaging learning environments that help students grow into confident, creative, open-minded learners. He returned to Canton City School District as Superintendent in August 2020, following seven years as Superintendent of Alliance City Schools, and previously served as Assistant Superintendent in Cleveland Heights-University Heights, Superintendent of Osnaburg Local Schools, and Principal of Canton McKinley Sr. High School. A Canton Timken Alumni Hall of Fame inductee, Jeff holds a BA from Muskingum University and a Master of Education from Ashland University.Paul Palomba, Canton Professional Educators Association President, was born and raised in Canton. He graduated with degrees in Science and English from Kent State University and received his Masters in Curriculum from Marygrove College. He taught 7th grade English in Canton City Schools for 16 years while serving as a building representative and executive leadership team member for the union. He has been the President of the Canton Professional Educator Association (CPEA) since 2013 and served as co-chair of the Ohio 8 Coalition from 2022-2025. Thousands of students have learned from him over the years and he has helped guide thousands of educators in his positions with the union. His four children are all graduates of public schools and his wife is a graduate of and now educator in Canton City Schools.We’re bringing together digital creators from across the state to build a powerful digital organizing network called Ohio Creators for Progress. Support and donate to this effort below! ⬇️Connect with United SHE Stands:* Substack* Instagram* TikTok* YouTube* Threads* Buy us a coffee ☕️This episode was edited by Kevin Tanner. Learn more about him and his services here:* Website* Instagram This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unitedshestands.com/subscribe