Fighting for Stronger State, Federal Protections from Violent Student Behaviors

Last spring, OSEA asked education workers to share their experiences with violence in the workplace through our “Work Shouldn’t Hurt” survey. While every worker deserves safety and respect in the workplace, far too many OSEA members know firsthand that we can experience challenging and even dangerous behaviors from difficult students. A lack of appropriate safety measures,... Read More

What We Learned from the Work Shouldn’t Hurt Survey

May 25, 2022 – During one of the worst school staffing shortages in Oregon history, a critical area is among educators who support the students with the highest needs. To better understand the risks of bodily harm and/or mental trauma these workers face and how to improve their workplace safety, OSEA conducted a survey of school employees working with special education and... Read More

OSHA: Schools must keep injury records

K-12 schools and many other educational facilities will now be required to maintain records of staff injuries and work-related illnesses and report them to Oregon OSHA, thanks to a new state rule change championed by OSEA. OSEA has led the campaign that sheds light on the routine injuries incurred by school staff, particularly those working in special education and with behaviorally... Read More

OSEA makes case for OSHA rule change

OSEA and AFT-Oregon members delivered powerful testimony in support of a common-sense rule change at two public hearings held last week by the Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Oregon OSHA). The proposed rule change would no longer exempt K-12 school districts from the stringent recordkeeping regulations other occupations are required to follow when documenting... Read More

We need your help

The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Oregon OSHA) is still accepting public comments regarding a proposed rule change regarding the reporting of workplace violence in our K-12 schools. Currently, K-12 schools are exempt from the stringent recordkeeping regulations other occupations are required to follow. In industries such as construction, employers must routinely... Read More

Reporting injuries ultimately protects students

Still don’t believe in the power of reporting injuries? In December, Gov. Kate Brown heard from the OSEA Board of Directors about the Work Shouldn’t Hurt campaign and how students and staff are ill-served by unsafe classrooms. “We need to get an accurate assessment of the problem, and getting information is key,” Brown said. Gov. Kate Brown discusses the importance of reporting... Read More

OSEA leads campaign

OSEA and AFT will be working hard at the local, state and national levels over the coming months and years to address violence against school staff. Every Oregon legislator and member of Congress has received copies of our Work Shouldn’t Hurt series. Our coverage has garnered letters from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), as well as the U.S. Department... Read More

Understand your rights

What should you do if the student you work with poses a threat to your safety? Can you refuse to work with the student without fear of losing your job? And if you are injured and seek workers’ compensation, can your employer dictate which professional you should see? Sarah Drescher, an attorney for Tedesco Law Group, said safety concerns should be reported immediately to the employer... Read More

What chapters can do

Educational professionals across Oregon are breaking the silence surrounding the abuse and injuries they receive from the special education (SPED) students they serve. Beginning with the first installment in this series, OSEA members have been emboldened to speak out, and AFT-Oregon and the Oregon Education Association (OEA) have joined us in seeking solutions at the state and national... Read More

Reporting key to prevention

Christopher was placed in an impossible situation. The individualized education program (IEP) for the student Christopher was assigned — a wheelchair-bound teenager who outweighed Christopher by more than 100 pounds — said no one should be within 48 inches of the teen. Despite this, the special education (SPED) assistant from eastern Oregon was ordered to sit next to the student... Read More