Meryl Johnson
District 11
Meryl Johnson is a retired teacher with 40 years of teaching experience in the Cleveland Public Schools. A graduate of Glenville High School in the Cleveland District, she received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Kent State University and her Master of Education degree from Cleveland State University. She was elected to the State Board of Education in November 2016.
During her years of teaching, Ms. Johnson helped new /struggling teachers improve their skills through the Educational Research and Dissemination Program, developed by the American Federation of Teachers. She also developed and conducted workshops on cultural competency and trauma-informed education to empower teachers to successfully teach all of their students. Ms. Johnson was a member of the North Shore AFL-CIO Executive Board for many years up until the time she was elected to the State Board.
Ms. Johnson is an avid student advocate. During her years as a teacher, she helped students develop leadership skills by training them in mediation through the Winning Against Violent Environments (WAVE) Program, voter registration, letter writing to newspapers, and speaking at community forums. She also transported Student Council leaders to Columbus to lobby for fair school funding.
Since her retirement, Ms. Johnson has taught student participants in the Upward Bound program every summer on the campus of Case Western Reserve University. Case’s campus is also where she hosts a weekly radio show called “It’s About Justice.”
Ms. Johnson was elected to the State Board of Education in November 2016 and was reelected November 2020.
Meryl Johnson, District 11
Meryl.Johnson@education.ohio.gov
Last Modified: 10/6/2022 2:12:24 PM