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Common Dreams reports
Teachers in Oklahoma applauded the state Senate's passage of a $447 million bill to fund educators' first raise in a decade by raising taxes on oil and gas production as well as cigarettes and fuel--but warned that the plan is not enough to keep them from striking.
The proposal was approved in a 36-10 vote on Wednesday night [March 28] after weeks of speculation that teachers would stage a walkout beginning April 2 to demand salary increases as well as more funding for their overcrowded schools--where teachers are frequently forced to pay for supplies out of their own pockets.
"While this is major progress, this investment alone will not undo a decade of neglect", said Oklahoma Education Association (OEA) President Alicia Priest in a press release.[1] "Lawmakers have left funding on the table that could be used immediately to help Oklahoma students."
The mobilization by teachers in Oklahoma follows a multi-day strike in West Virginia earlier this month during which educators and school employees also occupied the state capitol to demand raises and a permanent funding solution for their health insurance program. The West Virginia strike kept the state's schools closed for nine consecutive school days and continued after lawmakers passed a one-time five percent raise, with teachers insisting that all their demands be met.
[...] "This package doesn't overcome shortfall caused by four-day weeks, overcrowded classrooms that deprive kids of the one-on-one attention they need. It's not enough", Priest said. "We must continue to push for more annual funding for our schools to reduce class size and restore more of the 28 percent of funds they cut from education over the last decade."
[1] Content is behind scripts.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by AnonTechie on Friday March 30 2018, @08:42PM (2 children)
I think this is very relevant in this context. Some may have read it before but it bears repeating.
A lecturer in a South African University wrote an expressive message to his students at the doctorate, masters and bachelors level and placed it at the entrance of the college.
https://medium.com/@presidentdzitse/how-a-nation-is-collapsed-4e97625c4e07 [medium.com]
Albert Einstein - "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday March 30 2018, @09:59PM
The interesting post is modded off topic... By the AC that passed his exams through cheating.
(Score: 2, Troll) by qzm on Friday March 30 2018, @10:45PM
Where is the mention of the school services suppliers making huge profits (look at uniform providers, IT services, cleaning, building services, professional development, etc)
Where is the mention of the teachers who enjoy forms of tenure that mean no matter how badly the team they cannot be practically removed without actually breaking laws?
Where is the mention of the rules that mean you cannot remove or punish children who are strongly and often violently breaking down the ability to teach with their behaviour?
Where is the mention of the systemic exclusion of men from teaching?
Funding is one small part of a huge problem, and most often a long way from the largest problem.
The system is being destroyed by the people running it, and they don't seem to care.
THAT is the problem..