Around the Water Cooler panelists answered the following question: Most states bar teachers from striking. Should it be illegal for California teachers to strike?
Richard Place: “Of course not. Teachers like other American workers should be allowed to strike. Personally, I don’t want them to strike but the freedom to voice their opinions should not be illegal.”
Nants Foley: “Let the teachers strike if they want. The charter schools will still be open.”
Jim West: “Yes. It should be illegal for any public employee to unionize because they get to bargain with elected officials who have no skin in the game. If an elected official give the union whatever they want, the financial consequences won’t materialize for years. If elected officials stand up to unionized public employees …they will be voted out of office in the next election.”
Julie Morris: “Strikes are what give unions power – they are a last resort when negotiations break down. Rather than outlawing strikes, we should implement regular listening sessions – including all parties – so we never have to resort to picket lines and abandoned students.”
Louise Ledesma: “Yes, but only as a very, very last resort. If an impartial mediator sides with the teachers and the district still does not compromise, then teachers have a right to strike. People do not realize how hard most teachers work for so little pay. Their work day does not end when the students go home and they also have to take more classes, coach sports, advise a club or supervise student activities. Shall I go on about the stress level of having 30-50 students in a class? Yes, PE is 50+ students.”
Mary Zanger: “Although two edged, strikes need to be legal. They represent a last resort to deal with serious issues. Both sides risk loss. Teachers suffer suspension of pay. Children lose class days. Reasons must be highly charged on both sides. The Chicago teacher spokesperson, Stephanie Gadlin, said the issue is not money. The issue is teacher evaluation based on standardized student tests. I, personally, believe that standardized tests severely limit the length and breadth of human learning and achievement and reduce teachers to robots. I think teachers should be allowed workable student ratios with adequate books, supplies and a library with computers.”
Ruth Erickson “California public school teachers have a legal right to strike after failed negotiations, but as a public employee, they are responsible to the public. It should be illegal to strike during the school year using school children as pawns.”
Jae Eade: “I do not think teachers should have the right to strike. If the NEA and other teachers groups would promote vouchers and school choice, steps that really will improve the quality of education for our most vulnerable children, everyone would benefit, especially the students.”
