Oakland, Los Angeles And More To Come: Why Teachers Keep Going On Strike
The current wave of teacher walkouts started a year ago this week, when educators across West Virginia were out of the classroom for nine days. The movement spread to five more states before the school year was over.
New data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that almost a half a million U.S. workers were off the job in strikes or lockouts during 2018, and nearly 400,000 of them were teachers. It was the biggest year for work stoppages since 1986.
This year, individual districts — such as Denver and Los Angeles — have picked up where states left off. Teachers in Oakland, Calif., were on the picket lines Thursday and Friday, and Sacramento, Calif., teachers could be next.
Educators say they're angry. They don't like how states and school districts treat them and their students. A lot of the frustration comes down to money, but dignity and respect are touchstones, too.
Why are teachers striking?
Teachers earn less than other workers with comparable experience and education — a gap that's widened in recent years. More than a million teachers aren't covered by Social Security. An NPR/Ipsos poll conducted last April found that 59 percent of teachers have worked a second job, and 86 percent say they've spent their own money CONTINUE READING: Why Are Teachers Going On Strike In Oakland, Los Angeles And Denver? : NPR