When teachers go on strike, it can mean students miss school for days and lose out on learning opportunities. While there are some districts that remain open during a teacher strike (with substitutes and administrators running classes) many schools close for the duration. During that time, it’s important to keep your child connected and engaged with friends and activities outside of school so they don’t feel isolated or fall behind academically.
It’s also important to help your child understand what a teacher strike is, and why it happens. While it’s hard to imagine, teachers do get a bad rap – they’re sometimes demonized as greedy and out for themselves – and kids often hear mixed messages about what strikes are actually about.
Research shows that teachers often strike for a variety of reasons, but pay and working conditions are the most common. In 89 percent of strikes, teachers are seeking higher wages and improved benefits. But they also strike to address issues like class sizes, funding, and support staffing. And in the cases of larger, urban districts, they’re often fighting for broader changes in state policy that impact students across districts and states.
In addition, teachers often go on strike for social justice and other “common good” issues – such as affordable housing, immigration, and local government policies. These issues are more likely to occur in districts with lower per-student funding, and higher percentages of students from low-income backgrounds or who are learning English as a second language.
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