Time to Grieve

Jordann Hardin stood on the floor of the assembly hall, tears rushing down her face, as she shared her story with a teacher from New Jersey she just met.

It was a moment that propelled Hardin, a 3rd grade teacher in her 11th year at Northridge Elementary School in Putnam City, to become a national trailblazer.

Last year, in May, Hardin and her husband found out they were pregnant after three years of infertility. Then, on June 29th, they received devastating news.

“We went in for our nine-week ultrasound and found out that our baby had no heartbeat. And then I miscarried later that day,” Hardin shared.
“This was two days before I flew out to Chicago for NEA Representative Assembly (NEA RA). I really wrestled with whether I was going to go or not go, but ultimately, I decided the distraction of it would be nice.”

So, Hardin, in the midst of her sorrow, set out for Chicago for a sense of respite. The NEA RA is the largest democratic gathering in the world. Educators from across the country could share their ideas to their peers and have them voted on as New Business Items (NBIs). Hardin casually perused the notebook that contained all the different NBIs until she ran across one from an educator in New Jersey that made her heart stop.

A teacher, as an expectant parent, spouse, who suffers a pregnancy loss, including but not limited to chemical pregnancy, ectopic pregnancy, muller pregnancy, miscarriage, terminated for medical reasons, stillbirth, neonatal loss shall be eligible for bereavement leave. 

“I saw the word ‘miscarriage,’” Hardin remembered, “Obviously, I was still going through the grief of my own, so it caught my eye.”

She immediately texted OEA Vice President Cari Elledge and asked, “Is it weird if I go talk to the maker of this motion?” Elledge responded, “Absolutely not. You know who could help you out with that? Zach Grimm. He’s got connections in New Jersey as the NEA Director.”

Grimm walked Hardin over to the New Jersey caucus and introduced her to the group. 

“I was able to talk to Jackie Mancinelli, whose NBI at RA had the miscarriage bereavement language in it,” Hardin said.

And this was the beginning of a friendship, a journey of advocacy, and a good old fashioned cry session.

“We shared our stories with one another, both in tears, on the RA floor,” Hardin said.

“Through tears, we hugged each other, and I learned how much this bereavement leave language meant to her,” Mancinelli recalled.

In that moment, an association of professional educators provided Hardin with community, support, and the realization that she was not
alone. It provided a moment of clarity of exactly what Hardin needed to
do next. 

“As soon as I left that conversation with her, I knew when I got back
to Oklahoma that I needed to bring that language to Putnam City,”
Hardin said. “I was the sixth teacher in two years in my building to have a miscarriage and teachers were using their sick days to grieve the loss of a baby. Miscarriages occur in one in four pregnancies.”

Grimm was also moved by this interaction and was glad to be there to help Hardin make these connections.

“Jordann’s actions that day, and the many days since, have shown me that she is a visionary leader and truly wants what is best for not just herself, but for all educators,” Grimm reflected.

Hardin saw the language as a solution to a very real problem too many new educators were facing in the shadows.

“When you look at most of the teachers who are actively trying to get pregnant, they’re younger teachers. They don’t have a huge bank of sick leave. One of the teachers at my school only took one day after a miscarriage because it was the middle of the year, she had already been sick, and she wanted to save her days in case she was able to get pregnant again.”

Hardin credits the roots of her path to leadership to former PCACT President Eric Winkle, who invited Hardin to become more involved as an OEA member during the 2018 walkout.

“Being at the teacher walkout was kind of a turning point,” Hardin remembered. “I had always been a member since my first day of teaching, but after seeing everybody come together for that, I realized I couldn’t just be a bystander anymore.”

Hardin became a building representative at Northridge and is now PCACT’s Vice President and lead negotiator. Having years of leadership under her belt, she immediately began the process of change.

“I met with my side of the negotiations team and brought it to them. They were instantly like, ‘Yes, of course we’re bringing in that language. Why don’t we already have that?’”

The Putnam City Public Schools administration was also instantly receptive. Patty Balenseifen, the district’s chief human capital officer, responded immediately, “Yes, we are putting that in.”

Hardin was thrilled to share the news with her friend Jackie from New Jersey. When she told her about the about big win, Hardin did not realize just how big it was.

“I found out we were the first district in the entire country to ratify that language,” said Hardin. “I thought it was just missing from Putnam City’s language, and then I find out no, it’s missing from everybody’s language.”

For her efforts, Hardin was presented with two awards at the OEA Delegate Assembly last April – the 2023 OEA Collective Bargaining Award and the 2023 OEA Glenn Snider Human Relations Award. She received a standing ovation from every member in attendance.

Hardin also had two NBIs passed at OEA’s Delegate Assembly encouraging locals to adopt this language and another recognizing National Pregnancy Loss Month in October.

“I didn’t realize that sharing this story and doing these two NBIs would cause people to have conversations with me about it,” a surprised Hardin shared. “Just today, somebody reached out to me from Crooked Oak asking for the language, so, it’s really been moving to feel like my story is going to impact so many other people.”

Hardin hopes other districts are able to follow suit to provide educators with the dignity and support they deserve.

“After hearing that we were the first people in the country to pass it, I realized I needed to do some more advocacy in Oklahoma for it,” said Hardin.

“Miscarriage, it’s a very lonely feeling. It’s a very isolating feeling. I want teachers to feel like they’re supported as they’re going through this loss, because most miscarriages happen before eight weeks of pregnancy. Most of them haven’t even told their principals or their teams they’re even pregnant. I want them to know their district, their local has their back and will support them through this.”

A trip meant to distract and allow Hardin to not focus on her own pain has evolved into a legacy of vulnerability and healing that will endure for thousands of educators beyond herself.

“I have learned through this that the more people are open about their experiences, the more people who are impacted by their experiences.”