I’m Anya Kamenetz from
the NPR education team
and we’ve been following a series
of teacher strikes and walkouts
around the country since early 2018.
Here's four big-picture reasons
why teachers are walking off the job.
(Protesters chant, "55 Strong!")
(Protesters chant, "55 Strong!")
Number one is money.
The walkouts have been in
states that have had years
of budget cuts to education
or
where spending is below the national average.
Across the country,
teachers have college degrees,
but earn less than other professionals
— a gap that’s been getting wider for years.
Number two is the students.
Some teachers are asking
for changes that benefit the kids
like smaller class sizes,
more school nurses,
teachers' aides and counselors.
(Students chant, "A nurse
every day of the week!")
Number three
is the changing face of education reform.
In the Bush and Obama years,
both Democrats and Republicans
backed ideas like
more high stakes testing,
performance pay for teachers,
charter schools, and the Common Core.
Education politics have changed.
Many striking teachers oppose
these reform ideas,
especially charter schools.
While President Trump and
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos
are vocal supporters of school choice
2020 Democratic presidential candidates
are speaking out in favor of the teachers.
And number four
is the Supreme Court.
In July 2018, the Supreme Court
decision Janus v. AFSCME
made it harder for public sector unions,
including teacher unions,
to collect money.
Weakening unions can also mean
weakening bargaining agreements.
Many scholars predicted after the ruling
that there would be more militant organizing —
including more strikes as a result —
and that's exactly what we're seeing now.
For NPR,
I’m Anya Kamenetz.
