Teachers Are Still Striking, But Their Demands Have Changed. Here’s How

The teacher activism movement has come full circle, with West Virginia teachers launching their second statewide strike in two years this week.

Last year, the nine-day teacher strike in the Mountain State launched a wave of teacher protests across the country, which is still going on today. Teachers in Oakland, Calif., will be the latest group to head to the picket lines on Thursday.

But the flavor of the teacher strikes has changed. Unlike last year, when teachers across the country shared a similar narrative of crumbling classrooms and stagnant paychecks, the strike demands now are far-reaching. Now, teachers are pushing back against education-reform policies, like charter schools and performance-based pay. They’re also fighting for social-justice initiatives, like sanctuary protections for undocumented students.

“This isn’t a fight just for a pay raise,” said Oakland Education Association President Keith Brown of the districtwide strike there. “Yes, it is a fight to retain teachers, to keep teachers, to provide teachers with a living wage, but it’s also a fight to give more resources to our students. It’s a fight to save public education.”

Source: Teachers Are Still Striking, But Their Demands Have Changed. Here’s How – Teacher Beat – Education Week