POLICY ON STUDENT TEACHERS' RESPONSIBILITY AT THE TIME OF WORK STOPPAGE

Student teachers are assigned to student teaching centers to attain experience related to the normal operations of a school, particularly in the teaching of groups of students. When the assigned school is not in session (i.e., vacation periods), the student teacher does not report to the school.

Work stoppages on the part of the teachers or groups of teachers in the assigned school result in disruption of a school's operation to the extent that a student teacher cannot ordinarily secure the continuance of the experience for which he/she was assigned. Therefore, in the event of a work stoppage in a particular school brought about through the actions of teachers, the student teacher is directed to return to campus. Resumption of his/her student teaching assignment would be expected with the end of the work stoppage.

The intent of this policy is to remove the student teacher from a situation in which the student teacher might be assigned to take over for the classroom teacher involved in the work stoppage, or might be expected to join actively with those bringing about the work stoppage. Neither action is compatible with the purpose of the student teaching program.

(Note: This policy was originally formulated in 1971 by a consortium of area colleges which include Defiance College, Bluffton College, University of Findlay, and Ohio Northern University. While the consortium is not currently active, the Center for Teacher Education at Ohio Northern University affirms the validity of the policy.)