LAUSD teachers strike for SMMUSD standards

After six school days of striking, LAUSD and UTLA came to an agreement, forming a tentative deal addressing the issues which spurred the strike. Unsatisfied with their working conditions and in seek of advantages like those held by SMMUSD students and staff, the United Teachers Los Angeles Union (UTLA) went on strike on Monday, Jan. 14. The union’s demands included higher pay, smaller class sizes and more nurses, counselors and librarians to be distributed among LAUSD schools. Week one of the strike saw thousands of teachers, parents and students protesting in bright red picket lines across the city, unfazed by the downpour of rain. However, students who chose to stay away from school during the strike lost not only days of instruction and but millions in school funding for their schools.These realizations fueled a weekend of negotiation between UTLA and LAUSD, mediated by LA Mayor Eric Garcetti. The two sides took over City Hall, working about 10 hours a day from Jan. 17 until Jan. 22 in hopes of coming to an agreement as quickly as possible, returning students and teachers to their classes.On Jan. 22, the tentative deal was reached, increasing staff salary by 6 percent as well as giving in to smaller class sizes and increased student support (including a student to counselor ratio of 500:1 and a librarian every day in secondary schools) around LAUSD campuses. Students and teachers returned to classes on Jan. 23.LAUSD teacher and Samo parent Melisa Lauer is extremely grateful for the education her children have received from SMMUSD and is hopeful that her LAUSD students will soon receive one that is comparable.“I feel fortunate that my three children have received a quality education at all three of their SMMUSD schools. They have benefited greatly from the resources the district has and the diversity of the student population. LAUSD faces great challenges that in many ways are hard to compare to the situation within a much smaller and wealthier district like SMMUSD. I hope that all of the students within LAUSD and everywhere else will have the opportunities that this quality education provides and that my own kids have been lucky enough to grow up with,” Lauer said.SMMUSD staff and students are very fortunate, and many spent the week in support of LAUSD. Samo history teacher and Santa Monica-Malibu California Teachers Association (SMMCTA) board member, Nathaniel Acker joined the picket line at Venice High School on multiple occasions. Having worked in LAUSD for four years, it was very important to him to be part of the movement and show support in any way possible.A big part of the Samo community felt this way, and Acker along with other Samo union representatives chose to “adopt” Venice High School. This meant making a public display of solidarity - many Samo staff members joined their picket line. Additionally, 500 dollars was given to help striking teachers with any needs they may have had.Witnessing the protests caused reflection for many in the SMMUSD community, who realized that though more is always being asked for, the district is fortunate.“We’re a long way from striking. LA Unified probably should have walked out years ago, it was a long time coming. We generally have a pretty open line of communication with most people in the district. That makes a big difference- who’s in charge. And I think we have some great people in the district,” Acker saidAccording to the LAUSD 2017-18 Superintendent’s Final Budget, desegregated academic high school classes were to be capped at 39.5 (grades nine and 10) and 42.5 (grades 11 and 12).  Meanwhile, SMMUSD boasts a cap of 37 students per cap in secondary schools. Smaller class sizes are crucial, as they are easier to manage for teachers and allow students more individual/focused attention.The tentative deal that LAUSD and UTLA reached is said to ensure the gradual reduction of class sizes, beginning by enforcing a hard cap of 39 students in English and  mathematics classes at secondary schools. The deal claims additional hard caps will soon be set and strongly adhered to.LAUSD also lacks in nurse services. Acker was astonished to learn that his friend - an LAUSD nurse - rotates between four schools. When she is at one, there is no one attending the other three. The tentative deal promises one nurse at every school.Though UTLA has made it clear they are striking for the children, teacher’s benefits are an additional driving force in the strike. Though this has since been shut down, LAUSD recently proposed that all new staff members should receive no health benefits. But with the tentative deal being agreed upon and classes having been returned to on Jan. 23, it seems that things are looking up for LAUSD. From union sources, Acker has heard that the new regulations regarding the issues at hand will be implemented gradually over the next three years. In the meantime, classes have resumed.“The tentative deal is merely the first step. It will help in some small ways but it is important that we continue to ride this momentum and take our fight to the state level where we need to demand more funding for all of our public schools. It’s ridiculous that we are the richest state, yet rank 43rd in per-pupil spending. I hope that the strike has awakened in all of us a sense that it is our collective duty to support a quality public education for all students. This is an essential component to our democracy and is an issue of social justice,” Lauer said.