Teacher Strikes

Education news, analysis, and opinion about labor actions by teachers that close or disrupt schools

Explainer

Striking teachers hold a rally outside City Hall in Oakland, Calif., on May 4, 2023. More than 3,000 teachers and other workers in the Oakland Unified School District went on strike, saying the district failed to bargain in good faith on a new contract that asks for more resources for students and higher pay for employees.
Teacher Strikes, Explained: Recent Strikes, Where They're Illegal, and More
Here's what to know about educator labor actions and how they've evolved since the 20th century.
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Teaching Profession Sacramento Teachers Reached a Contract Deal. They're Still Going on Strike
The teachers' union has planned a one-day strike to protest the school district's labor practices.
Madeline Will, April 3, 2019
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2 min read
Teaching Profession Two More Statewide Teacher Protests Are on the Horizon
Teachers in North Carolina and Oregon plan to walk out of their classrooms in protest in May.
Madeline Will, March 26, 2019
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3 min read
Teaching Profession Kentucky Ed. Dept. Asks for Names of Protesting Teachers Who Called Out Sick
Commissioner Wayne Lewis requested a list of the teachers who had taken sick days in the 10 districts where teacher absences caused work stoppages.
Sarah Schwartz, March 15, 2019
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3 min read
Teaching Profession 'It's Our Time': Maryland Teachers March for School Funding
Thousands of teachers marched in Annapolis on Monday evening, pushing for higher pay and more resources for their students.
Madeline Will, March 11, 2019
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5 min read
Teaching Profession Across the Nation, More Teachers Are Protesting With a Broader Set of Demands
Even when schools remain open, teachers across the country are speaking out for an investment in public education and protesting school-choice measures.
Madeline Will, March 7, 2019
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5 min read
Protesting teachers wave at passing cars outside Poca High School in Poca, W.Va., last month. Teachers across the Mountain State held their second strike in a year.
Protesting teachers wave at passing cars outside Poca High School in Poca, W.Va., last month. Teachers across the Mountain State held their second strike in a year.
John Raby/AP
Teaching Profession How Teacher Strikes Are Changing
While last year’s teacher walkouts were focused primarily on stagnant wages and crumbling classrooms, the strike demands now are more far-reaching.
Madeline Will, March 5, 2019
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5 min read
Teacher Dina Suarez yells at a rally with other teachers in front of City Hall in Oakland, Calif., last month. Principals have been tasked with keeping schools open during the ongoing strike in that city.
Teacher Dina Suarez yells at a rally with other teachers in front of City Hall in Oakland, Calif., last month. Principals have been tasked with keeping schools open during the ongoing strike in that city.
Jeff Chiu/AP
Teaching Profession During Teacher Strikes, Principals Put to Test
When districts keep schools open during a teachers' strike, principals face a difficult balance between upporting their staff and providing a safe environment for students.
Denisa R. Superville, March 5, 2019
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7 min read
Teaching Profession Map: Where Have There Been Teacher Strikes and Protests?
Between 2018 and 2019, teachers organized large-scale strikes and labor actions in more than a dozen states and big cities. See the teacher activism hotspots on this map.
March 4, 2019
Teaching Profession 'When We Strike, We Win': Oakland Teachers' Union Reaches Tentative Deal
After seven days on strike, Oakland, Calif., teachers have reached a deal with the district that includes an 11 percent pay raise.
Madeline Will, March 2, 2019
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2 min read
Teaching Profession The Kentucky 'Pension Flu' Has Hit Teachers Once Again
Several school districts have been forced to close due to a large number of teachers calling out sick in protest of a pension-reform bill.
Madeline Will, February 28, 2019
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3 min read
Protesters turn out against a bill in the West Virginia legislature that would have bundled teacher pay raises in a bill that would also expand charters and other elements unpalatable to many teachers in the state.
Protesters turn out against a bill in the West Virginia legislature that would have bundled teacher pay raises in a bill that would also expand charters and other elements unpalatable to many teachers in the state.
Craig Hudson/Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP
Teaching Profession Teachers Asked to Swallow Concessions to Get Pay Hikes
Politicians in some states are using the push for higher teacher pay as a way to press other demands, such as expanding charter schools and vouchers, and tying teacher pay to test scores.
Daarel Burnette II, February 25, 2019
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8 min read
Teaching Profession Are Teach For America Members Allowed to Go on Strike?
Teach For America has said corps members who go on strike would lose thousands of dollars in award money.
Madeline Will, February 22, 2019
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4 min read
A crowd rallies outside the Los Angeles Unified School District headquarters during the teacher strike in that city last month.
A crowd rallies outside the Los Angeles Unified School District headquarters during the teacher strike in that city last month.
Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP
Special Education Opinion What Happens to Vulnerable Students When Teachers Strike?
When their advocates are on the picket line, historically marginalized students are hit particularly hard, warns one special education paraprofessional.
David Curtiss, February 21, 2019
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4 min read
Teaching Profession Teachers Are Still Striking, But Their Demands Have Changed. Here's How
The current batch of teacher strikes, including in West Virginia and Oakland, Calif., are not just about pay.
Madeline Will, February 20, 2019
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5 min read
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