Alicia Priest
20-935: The 2018–2019 education workers' strikes in the United States began on February 22, 2018, after local activists compelled the West Virginia state leadership of the West Virginia branches of the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association into holding a strike vote. The strike—which ended when teachers returned to their classrooms on March 7—inspired similar, statewide strikes in Oklahoma and Arizona . It also inspired smaller-scale protests by school staff in Kentucky, North Carolina, Colorado, and led to
40-848: A school bus driver strike in Georgia. Additionally, around this time, adjunct professors at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia protested over pay . The strikes continued in the fall of 2018 when there was a collective bargaining shortcoming between the United Teachers Los Angeles union and the Los Angeles Unified School District in September 2018, prompting a strike that began in January 2019. This also resulted in
60-603: A better car". The quote was appropriated by teachers and used in chants during protests at the Oklahoma State Capitol . State representative Kevin McDugle, a Republican, indicated he would not pass any bill or measure to increase education spending due to the protests undertaken by the teachers. A survey in 2019 found that the pay raise obtained by the strike had lifted the State's teacher pay ranking to 34th in
80-532: A majority of the strikes being in predominantly Republican Party-controlled, conservative states, the strikes have been referred to as the "Red State Revolt". This has prompted several Republican politicians to concede to their demands, in the run-up to the 2018 mid-term elections . One of the largest reasons for decreasing teacher pay and less funding for schools is the large amount of money diverted from current budgets to pay educators' unfunded pension liabilities. For example: "In Colorado, school district payments to
100-411: A strike began to build in early March 2018, after another proposal (dubbed the "Step Up" plan) failed to pass the required 75% threshold for tax increases. The "Step Up" plan would have increased certain taxes and boosted teacher pay by $ 5,000. Both Democrats and Republicans voted for and against the bill. Some Democrats who voted "no" believed the plan did not go far enough to restore funding. Plans for
120-525: A strike beginning on April 2 were first floated in March. On April 2, schools throughout Oklahoma were scheduled to take standardized tests; preventing these tests from taking place could potentially jeopardize millions in federal funds allocated to Oklahoma. After the Oklahoma legislature passed a tax increase to fund teach pay raises with the required 75% in each body on Friday, March 30, a strike beginning on
140-519: A teachers' walkout in Virginia, a long-time right-to-work state, as well as in Denver and Oakland, California . The national wave of strikes has been referred to as Red for Ed or #RedForEd , with striking workers often wearing red shirts to show solidarity. Reasons given for the choice of the color red range from the fact that many of the initial strikes were in red (Republican-controlled) states to
160-750: The Arizona Strike lasted from April 26 to May 3. In May 2018, it was reported that teachers in North Carolina could be next to strike, making it the fifth state to have a teachers' strike. This was due to the state being ranked 41st in the nation in salaries for teachers, and per pupil spending at negative 12 percent. Further, it was reported that teachers in North Carolina have seen a five percent decrease in salaries since 2008. Furthermore, teachers hired after January 1, 2021, will not receive health benefits, along with teachers having to pay $ 10,000 per year in out of pocket health insurance. Because of
180-836: The similar action in West Virginia , the walkout was not a " wildcat " strike, as it received endorsement from union leadership, albeit only after pressure from teachers. The protest occurred concurrently with similar protests in Arizona , Kentucky , North Carolina , and Colorado . Since 2008, education spending per student in Oklahoma has fallen 28%. Due to the decrease in funding, twenty percent of schools run on four-day weeks, and many have eliminated art and language classes and shut down sports programs. Gains from last teachers' strike in Oklahoma, in 1990, which resulted in an agreement to lower class sizes, expand kindergarten programs, and increase teacher wages were later reversed due to budget cuts. The decline in funding and subsequent decline in
200-463: The 2nd was announced. Thus, even before the walkout, teachers won greater school funding and salary increases, funded in part by increases in the cigarette tax, motor fuel tax, and the gross production tax on petroleum. The strike lasted from April 2 to April 12. Strike leaders had called for the introduction of a capital gains tax to avoid a regressive tax, but the terms were nevertheless accepted. The legislature passed no further tax increases after
220-514: The fifth highest state in the U.S. In the latter quarter of the 20th century, an average decline of 3.1%/year, until additional drilling led to a temporary increase from 1980 to 1984, followed by a decline at 6.6%/year until the average decline of 3.1% was met in 1994. As of September 2012, 72 out of the 77 counties in Oklahoma have producing oil or gas wells. The deepest natural gas well is 24,928 feet (7,598 m), in Beckham County, and
SECTION 10
#1732786838990240-809: The first week of February, teachers staged "walk-ins" at schools and some protested at the West Virginia Capitol. The strike proved successful, and inspired those in other states to strike as well. In early April, Oklahoma became the second state to strike , making it the first time a teacher's strike was held in the state since 1990. The strike lasted for 10 days, from April 2–12, after teacher salaries were increased by $ 6,000 and support staff salaries were increased by $ 1,250. In late April, teachers in Arizona and in Colorado went on strike. The Colorado strike began on April 27 and ended on May 12, while
260-448: The idea that public school budgets are in the red . Motivations for the strikes included desire for increased wages for teachers and support staff, larger school budgets, smaller classrooms, and other issues. The strikes varied in their levels of success, with the West Virginia strike considered mostly successful, where Oklahoman teachers received relatively few concessions. Discussions of a strike in West Virginia began in early 2018. In
280-557: The increased spending on education through taxation focused on these industries. Original reason for the strike included the state's plan to force teachers to use fitbit to be allowed to keep subscribing to the same healthplan or face a $ 500 annual fine. [REDACTED] Negotiations ongoing. Metro Nashville Public Schools has requested increased funding. 2018 Oklahoma teachers%27 strike Mary Fallin The 2018 Oklahoma teachers' walkout began on April 2, 2018, with teachers across
300-671: The nation, higher than the surrounding states of New Mexico, Kansas, Missouri and Arkansas, but still lower than Colorado or Texas. Ten Republican representatives who were opposed to raising taxes to increase teacher salaries were up for re-election in 2018. Two, Scott McEachin and Chuck Strohm , were eliminated by other Republican nominees during the initial primary, while a further seven did not gain enough votes to win their primaries uncontested. These seven faced runoff elections in August 2018, and six lost. Oil in Oklahoma Oil
320-485: The public pension fund have roughly doubled since 2006, from about 10 percent of payroll to 20 percent." A 2016 study found that only 30% of the money that school districts pay towards the retirement benefits of an educator actually go toward that educator's pension, with 70% being used to pay off unfunded debt in that pension system. Universally, demands included raising pay. In Oklahoma and West Virginia, respectively sources of oil and coal , demands included financing
340-418: The quality of public education has resulted in the expansion of charter schools in the state. In 2016, State Question 779 was placed on the ballot, but failed to gain enough votes. [1] SQ 779 proposed a one cent increase in sales tax and was estimated to bring in $ 615 million for education funding (including educator pay raises) in its first year. Failure of SQ 779 left many educators frustrated. Support for
360-482: The state walking out to protest low pay, overcrowded classrooms , and tax cuts that resulted in lower state-wide education spending. It was the first such action in Oklahoma since 1990. The OEA declared an end to the walkout on April 12 after an agreement to increase salaries and state funding for education was reached. The call to end the walkout faced some objection from teachers and parents who did not believe that enough concessions were made by lawmakers. Unlike
380-496: The walkout began. Public school teacher salaries in Oklahoma prior to the strike were the third lowest in the United States (after South Dakota and Mississippi), resulting in some teachers and staffers working second or third jobs. An initial offer of a $ 6,000 wage increase, ratified by the governor, was rejected, as the initial demands were for a $ 10,000 raise for teachers and a $ 1250 raise for support staff. Governor Mary Fallin likened teacher demands to "...teenager(s) wanting
400-565: Was first discovered in Oklahoma by accident, in 1859, near Salina , in the then Indian Territory , in a well that had been drilled for salt. In 1907, before Oklahoma became a state, it produced the most oil of any state or territory in the United States. From 1907 to 1930, Oklahoma and California traded the title of number one US oil producer back and forth. Oklahoma oil production peaked in 1927, at 762,000 barrels/day, and by 2005 had declined to 168,000 barrels/day, but then started rising, and by 2014 had more than doubled to 350,000 barrels per day,
#989010