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Why Teachers in Oklahoma and Kentucky Are Walking Out and What to Expect Teacher Walkouts: What to Know and What to Expect
(25 days later)
Teachers in multiple states have walked off the job or are making plans to do so after a statewide teachers’ strike in West Virginia last month yielded a pay raise and significant public support. Updated April 26.
Oklahoma teachers clogged the State Capitol on Tuesday, protesting budget cuts and demanding higher wages. It was the second day of a widespread walkout. At least 50 school districts were closed across the state, including those in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Teachers across Arizona plan to walk off the job Thursday to protest low salaries and school budget cuts, while some in Colorado will rally at the Capitol in Denver on Thursday and Friday, shutting down over a dozen of the state’s largest school districts.
The protests continued in Kentucky, too, where many teachers are on spring break but have swarmed their own Capitol to denounce a pension reform bill. The two states are the newest front for the nationwide teacher protest movement that began in February in West Virginia, and quickly spread to Oklahoma and Kentucky. Teachers — and many parents — in all of these states say taxes are too low to adequately fund schools.
In Arizona, teacher organizers have mounted a grass-roots effort to recruit school representatives across the state, and are particularly interested in building support in rural areas for a potential statewide walkout. Here’s the latest on the protests: The movement has shaken up politics, with voters and lawmakers from both parties questioning fiscal austerity. Here’s what has happened so far, and what to expect:
In Oklahoma, teachers asked for a $10,000 raise for themselves, a $5,000 raise for support staff, $200 million over three years in funding for local schools and $500 million over three years in funding for state agencies and other public employees. On Tuesday, Gov. Mary Fallin signed legislation to fund a $6,000 average increase in teachers’ base salaries, a $1,250 annual raise for support staff and raises between $750 and $2,000 for state public employees. The bill also provides $33 million for textbooks. In Arizona, teachers are demanding a 20 percent raise for themselves, a raise for support staff and yearly raises until Arizona’s average teacher salary, currently $47,000, meets the national average, currently $59,000. They’re also calling for a restoration of school funding that has been cut since the Recession, and no new tax cuts until the state’s per-pupil spending, which was under $7,500 in 2015, meets the national average, which was about $11,000 per year.
The Oklahoma Education Association, the state’s largest teachers’ union, responded that it wasn’t enough to end the walkout. The union has argued that more money could be found through repealing a capital-gains tax exemption and allowing ball and dice gambling, which would be taxed; the Legislature has already voted to raise taxes on the oil and gas industry and on tobacco and motor fuels. The Colorado Education Association, a union that represents 35,000 educators, is asking for over $1 billion annually in new education funding. The union supports a ballot referendum that would raise taxes on corporations and on incomes over $150,000 annually. It opposes a proposal to change teacher pension plans to be more like the 401(k) accounts used in the private sector, and to raise the teacher retirement age to 65 from 58. The union said it would be willing to accept a teacher retirement age of 60.
In Kentucky, teachers are protesting education budget cuts and a plan to make teacher retirement pensions more like the 401(k) accounts used in the private sector. In West Virginia, teachers won a $2,000 raise after their statewide walkout.
In Arizona, where the movement is still building, teachers are asking for a 20 percent raise and an increase in school funding. In Oklahoma, the threat of a walkout yielded a $6,000 raise for teachers and smaller raises for school support staff. The walkout itself, which lasted nine days, did not lead to much new funding for classrooms, and many teachers ended the protest disappointed. But in a state that has aggressively cut taxes and public services, teachers succeeded in pushing Republicans and Democrats to support a bevy of new or higher taxes, on oil and gas production, tobacco, motor fuels, online sales and gambling.
The states in question, whose legislatures are dominated by the Republican Party, have pursued years of tax cuts and cuts to public services. Teachers, parents and students have noticed the impact of budget cuts on the classroom, whether it is a four-day school week in rural Oklahoma or canceled drama classes in Tulsa. When educators saw West Virginia teachers win a raise last month after a daring strike, they realized more radical tactics might work in their states, too. In Kentucky, legislators met teachers’ demand that they override Gov. Matt Bevin’s veto of the state budget, which Mr. Bevin said was not austere enough.
Teachers, parents and students have noticed the impact of low budgets on the classroom, whether it is a four-day school week in rural Oklahoma and Colorado, or 15-year old social studies and science textbooks in Phoenix. When educators saw West Virginia teachers win a raise in March after a daring statewide walkout, they realized more radical tactics might work in their states, too.
Other movements have also energized teachers. Some have been inspired by #MeToo, the March for Our Lives and protests against President Trump and his lightning-rod secretary of education, Betsy DeVos.Other movements have also energized teachers. Some have been inspired by #MeToo, the March for Our Lives and protests against President Trump and his lightning-rod secretary of education, Betsy DeVos.
Few states allow public employees to strike. Oklahoma, Kentucky and Arizona are no exception. In Colorado, teachers can legally strike in some circumstances. Last week, Republicans in the State Senate introduced a bill that would allow school districts to seek an injunction against an impending strike. Teachers who went on strike anyhow would be subject to fines or jail, and schools would be prevented from paying teachers for days in which they participated in a demonstration. The measure has little chance of becoming law, since Democrats control both the state House of Representatives and the governor’s mansion.
Rank-and-file teachers don’t hesitate to use the term “strike” to describe their actions, but union leaders prefer the term “walkout.” They point out that teachers aren’t striking against their managers — principals, administrators or local school boards — but are instead protesting state policies. In Kentucky, teachers are mostly calling in sick to attend rallies, which, according to the union, is allowed in their contract. Teacher strikes are considered unlawful in Arizona, as they are in Oklahoma, Kentucky and West Virginia. Rank-and-file teachers in these states don’t hesitate to use the term “strike” to describe their actions, but union leaders prefer the term “walkout.” They point out that teachers aren’t striking against their managers — principals, administrators or local school boards — but are instead protesting state policies. Many teachers have used sick days or personal days to attend protests and rallies.
It is unlikely that teachers participating in a mass movement would lose their jobs en masse; all of these states have teacher shortages because of pay and other factors. During the wave of teacher strikes in the 1960s and 1970s, union leaders like Albert Shanker sometimes did go to jail, but it would be surprising to see that happen now. It is unlikely that teachers participating in this movement would lose their jobs en masse; all of these states have teacher shortages because of pay and other factors. During the wave of teacher strikes in the 1960s and 1970s, union leaders like Albert Shanker sometimes did go to jail, but it would be surprising to see that happen now.
You may have noticed that the majority of the teachers photographed at these protests are female.You may have noticed that the majority of the teachers photographed at these protests are female.
About three-quarters of American teachers are women. When the modern teachers’ union movement began in Chicago in 1897, it was an explicitly feminist movement with close ties to the suffragists. Teachers are relatively underpaid compared with other skilled workers because they historically have been women. Many policymakers assumed teachers were being supported by higher-earning spouses or other male relatives. About three-quarters of American teachers are women. When the modern teachers’ union movement began in Chicago in 1897, it was an explicitly feminist movement with close ties to the suffragists. Teachers are relatively underpaid compared with other skilled workers because historically they have been women. Many policymakers assumed teachers were being supported by higher-earning spouses or other male relatives.
Today, two women — Lily Eskelsen García and Randi Weingarten — lead the two national teachers’ unions, and state affiliates in West Virginia, Oklahoma and Kentucky are also led by women. Even so, many of the most visible grass-roots leaders of this new protest movement are young men who started Facebook pages to help organize protests, rallies and walkouts.Today, two women — Lily Eskelsen García and Randi Weingarten — lead the two national teachers’ unions, and state affiliates in West Virginia, Oklahoma and Kentucky are also led by women. Even so, many of the most visible grass-roots leaders of this new protest movement are young men who started Facebook pages to help organize protests, rallies and walkouts.
There is a notable lack of quality opinion polling on this question. Organizers point to the many restaurants and hotels that are offering discounts to protesting teachers, to supportive comments on social media and to online polls conducted by local newspapers, which find readers overwhelmingly in favor of the teachers’ actions. Unlike West Virginia and Oklahoma, Arizona has never before had a statewide teacher walkout. The state is typically skeptical of organized labor, though in recent weeks, thousands of parents have joined teachers at “walk-in” protests outside schools on Wednesday mornings.
Though teacher walkouts are incredibly disruptive for families, who rely on schools for child care and nutrition, the public is often supportive. When teachers walked out in Chicago in 2012 and Wisconsin in 2011, nonpartisan polling found the majority of parents and the public supported the teachers. Though teacher walkouts are incredibly disruptive for families, who rely on schools for child care and nutrition, the public is often supportive. In Oklahoma, several public opinion polls showed that parents overwhelmingly supported teachers during their walkout. When teachers walked out in Chicago in 2012 and Wisconsin in 2011, nonpartisan polling found the majority of parents and the public supported the teachers.
When Chicago teachers went on strike in 2012, they had some of the same concerns that teachers in red states do in 2018. In particular, they wanted more funding for support staff at their schools, like guidance counselors and nurses. This is a movement that began on Facebook with rank-and-file teachers in conservative states, who moved faster and more aggressively than their union leaders in demanding action from lawmakers. In all these states, union membership is optional for most teachers. That said, the state and national unions stepped in quickly with crucial organizing and lobbying muscle, and coordinated closely with grass-roots leaders.
When Chicago teachers went on strike in 2012, they had some of the same concerns that teachers do in 2018. In particular, they wanted more funding for support staff at their schools, like guidance counselors and nurses.
The biggest issue in Chicago, however, was the school reform agenda of Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who was pushing to evaluate teachers using student test scores. Education policy changes aren’t the focus of the current movement, which is more about salaries and school funding for basic needs like textbooks and foreign language classes.The biggest issue in Chicago, however, was the school reform agenda of Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who was pushing to evaluate teachers using student test scores. Education policy changes aren’t the focus of the current movement, which is more about salaries and school funding for basic needs like textbooks and foreign language classes.
Even so, teacher activists in Arizona say they are frustrated by public funds being diverted to charter schools and tax credits that help parents pay for private school tuition. Many Kentucky teachers oppose charters, too, and those in West Virginia were angry after legislators proposed making it easier to become a teacher without training in education.Even so, teacher activists in Arizona say they are frustrated by public funds being diverted to charter schools and tax credits that help parents pay for private school tuition. Many Kentucky teachers oppose charters, too, and those in West Virginia were angry after legislators proposed making it easier to become a teacher without training in education.
The public employee protests at the Wisconsin State Capitol in 2011 began after Gov. Scott Walker introduced a plan to roll back collective bargaining and cut pensions. In that case, the teachers lost, and both policies became law.The public employee protests at the Wisconsin State Capitol in 2011 began after Gov. Scott Walker introduced a plan to roll back collective bargaining and cut pensions. In that case, the teachers lost, and both policies became law.
This is a movement that was largely organized on Facebook by rank-and-file teachers, who moved faster and more aggressively than their union leaders in demanding action from lawmakers. In conservative states like these, union membership is optional for teachers.
That said, the state and national unions have stepped in with crucial organizing and lobbying muscle, and are now coordinating closely with grass-roots leaders.