Remember the 2018 teachers strikes in Republican-led states? Now legislators in 3 states are trying to retaliate.
Remember the 2018 teachers strikes in Republican-led states that captured the attention of the country?
The Red For Ed — or #RedForEd — movement started when West Virginia teachers who were sick and tired of working for low pay and in resource-starved schools walked out of class even though such labor action is illegal in the state. The teachers started the strikes, and their unions followed.
Teachers in other red states saw what was happening and decided to do something exceedingly rare for teachers — stand up for themselves — and they struck, too, in Oklahoma, Arizona, Colorado and other places, and managed to win financial concessions from state legislators.
Now, in three of those states, Republican-led legislatures are retaliating, trying to pass bills that would make teachers' working lives more difficult. Here’s what’s happening:
West Virginia
More than 22,000 West Virginia teachers walked out en masse on Feb. 22, 2018, closing schools in every county for the first time in nearly 30 years. They demanded higher pay and lower health-care costs in a place where many teachers have had to take second jobs to pay their bills.
With the state ranking 48th in average teacher salaries in 2016, according to National Education Association data, legislators finally agreed to a 5 percent pay raise — less than the teachers were seeking — while offering no promise on relief for health-care costs. The teachers returned to class March 7.
West Virginia legislators are taking steps that teachers strongly oppose. In a budget bill the legislature is fast-tracking, teacher raises and funding for the health-care system for state employees would be tied to provisions including:
- Increasing class sizes.
- Denying pay during future strikes.
- Support for “school choice” in the form of charter schools and a program to use public money for private and religious-school education.
The state’s Republican governor, Jim Justice, who opposed last year’s strike, said he would veto such a bill, but that won’t stop the legislature from trying.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma teachers walked out April 2 demanding higher pay and more resources for schools in a state where tax cuts have slashed public spending on education. They returned to class 10 days later after winning raises and additional school funding, but did not win everything they wanted. Some teachers opposed ending the CONTINUE READING: Remember the 2018 teachers strikes in Republican-led states? Now legislators in 3 states are trying to retaliate. - The Washington Post
