FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 15, 2025
Contacts: Neil Bhaerman, nbhaerman@oft-aft.org
Preliminary Injunction Granted in STRS Board Lawsuit
COLUMBUS — Today, Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Judge Carl A. Aveni granted a preliminary injunction that will prevent changes to the composition of the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) Board while the issue is being litigated. The lawsuit — initiated by members of the Ohio Education Association (OEA), the Ohio Federation of Teachers (OFT), and the Ohio Conference of the American Association of University Professors (OC AAUP) — challenges an unconstitutional provision in the state budget that strips educators of their rightful voice on the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) Board.
The following joint statement was released today by OEA President Jeff Wensing, OFT President Melissa Cropper, and OC AAUP Executive Director Sara Kilpatrick:
“We are thankful for Judge Aveni’s ruling to grant a preliminary injunction. This determination confirms what retired and active members of STRS have known since June: this is an unconstitutional power grab by the legislature. Educators, just like all other public employees in Ohio, deserve a meaningful voice in our pension plan.”
The court order can be found here.