Rep. Brennan Applauds Court's Decision Blocking STRS Board Restructuring

COLUMBUS – State Rep. Sean Brennan (D-Parma) today issued the following statement after a Franklin County judge granted a preliminary injunction halting the controversial restructuring of the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) Board: 

“I strongly support the court’s decision to pause this deeply flawed and unconstitutional overhaul of the STRS Board. From the very beginning, I have been vocally opposed to this power grab that strips educators of their rightful voice in the pension system they pay into and depend upon,” said Rep. Brennan.

Under the challenged law, passed as part of the state’s biennial operating budget, four elected educator seats on the STRS Board would have been eliminated and replaced with gubernatorial appointments. This would have shifted the 11-member board from a majority of elected members to a majority of political appointees by 2028. 

“No other public pension board in Ohio is structured this way,” continued Rep. Brennan. “Educators deserve the same respect and representation as every other group of public servants. This ruling is a win for fairness, transparency, and the independence of our retirement systems.”

Rep. Brennan noted that he has consistently spoken out against efforts to politicize Ohio’s public pension systems and will continue to stand with teachers, retirees, and education advocates who are fighting to ensure STRS remains accountable to its members—not to partisan interests. 

“This is not about left or right—it’s about right and wrong,” concluded Rep. Brennan. “Our teachers have earned a seat at the table, and I will continue to fight to make sure they keep it.”