Education is one of the most important tools in giving students knowledge about the world around us. Education is an opportunity to gain life skills, and it can help students in building their own opinions and views.
The teachers at the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) were fighting for their rights and the education of their students in a recent strike.
The strike began on January 14th, 2019 and ended on Wednesday January 23rd, 2019, with the Teachers Union and the school district coming to terms with a new contract agreement. The strike was the United Teachers of Los Angeles Union’s first strike in 25 years.
LAUSD is the second largest school district in the nation and educational value has always been a topic of discussion in regards to LAUSD schools. The strike was long overdue because negotiations for a contract between LAUSD and United Teachers of Los Angeles started in 2017, but they never could reach an agreement.
The main goals of the Los Angeles teachers, parents, and students who attended the strikes was to increase teacher’s salaries, decrease classroom sizes, provide more resources for students, and staff more nurses and librarians. Many of the issues that the schools in Los Angeles face are also issues in other school districts across the United States.Image source: Christina Morillo
The issues the teachers are fighting for are valid and would benefit the students in so many ways. Teachers invest more into their classrooms and students than they get paid for. They sometimes even have to work two jobs just to make ends meet because they don’t get paid enough. Also, sometimes teachers even buy their own classroom supplies for their students with their own money. Teachers aren’t appreciated for the job they do in teaching and shaping America’s youth.
Even through all of the hardships that teachers face, they still continue to do their job because of their love for their students. Edward Lawson, a teacher at Julian Thomas Elementary in Racine, Wisconsin, revealed, “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. When you help a kid that really wants to learn, when they say, ‘I got it,’ that’s something you take with you the rest of your life.” Many teachers are dedicated to their students and will do anything to give them the best education possible.Image source: Pexels
I relate to some of the issues that teachers are fighting for. For example, I attended a public school in LAUSD for a year and my parents decided to move me to another district with more opportunity for one-on-one time with my teachers and more resources. My classroom size went from around 35 students to 25 students at the charter school I went to after my public school. The smaller classroom size really allowed me to get to know my teacher, classmates, and ask questions more often if I needed help.
Teachers throughout America need to be appreciated for the work that they do with students every day. They dedicate so much of their time to investing in the education of the youth of the future, and they deserve better work circumstances.