Teacher strike in Oklahoma stretches into second day
Thousands of teachers rallied Tuesday at Oklahoma's state Capitol for the second day of a walkout, demanding increased salaries and state funding for schools.
Teachers want an additional $150 million in school funding, after a 16 percent pay increase from legislators last week failed to meet their full demands. Oklahoma teachers have an average salary of around $42,460, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows, putting them in 48th place in average U.S. classroom teacher salary. Lawmakers say that they won't budge because they've already granted an additional $50 million in school funding.
The stalemate is poised to continue after the Oklahoma House adjourned Tuesday without taking up Senate-approved revenue-raising measures. One representative vowed not to vote on any more funding efforts because of the strike. "I'm not voting for another stinking measure when they're acting the way they're acting," said Rep. Kevin McDugle (R) in a since-deleted Facebook Live video, reports Tulsa World. "Go ahead, be pissed at me if you want to."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Many schools in Oklahoma are closed this week, leaving hundreds of thousands of students on break until teachers and lawmakers resolve the demands. Some teachers have pledged to keep striking until they get a full $10,000 raise. "If it takes all school year, we've gotta be prepared to do it," teacher Holliebe Collins told USA Today.
Teachers in Kentucky and Arizona have also held walkouts, citing outdated textbooks and broken equipment in classrooms. In West Virginia last month, teachers went on strike for nine days, a battle that eventually ended with the educators receiving a 5 percent raise.
Read more at CBS News and Tulsa World.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.
-
Is ChatGPT's new search engine OpenAI's Google 'killer'?
Talking Point There's a new AI-backed search engine in town. But can it stand up to Google's decades-long hold on internet searches?
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Crossword: November 5, 2024
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sudoku hard: November 5, 2024
The Week's daily hard sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditions
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billion
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on record
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homes
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creature
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published