THAT PLANE TOUCHES DOWN IN NEW ORLEANS LATER ON THIS MORNING.
A LIVE LOOK OUT WEST OUT IN LOS
ANGELES.
ANGELES. THIS IS A SHT FROM OUTSIDE A
PUBLIC SCHOOL.
PUBLIC SCHOOL. TODAY MORE THAN 30,000 TEACHERS
ARE WALKING OFF THE JOB.
WE’RE TALKING ACT THE NATION’S
SECOND LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT
NOW ON STRIKE.
THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT THEIR
PAYCHECKS.
PAYCHECKS. THESE TEACHERS ARE DEMANDING
SMALLER CLASS SIZES.
THEY WANT MORE STAFF THIS THEIR
SCHOOLS INCLUDING NURSES,
LIBRARIANS AND COUNSELORS.
STEVE PATTERSON IS IN LOS
ANGELES ON A SURPRISINGLY RAINY
DAY.
DAY. TAKE US INSIDE THE STRIKE.
>> Reporter: IT’S THE -- ONE OF
THE FEW DAYS A HERE WHERE IT
RAINS IN LOS ANGELES AND IT’S ON
THE FIRST DAY OF THIS MASSIVE
STRIKE.
STRIKE. THERE’S A CROWD OF UMBRELLAS
WHERE YOU WOULD NORMALLY SEE
POSTERS ON THE TICKET LINES.
THIS AS YOU MENTIONED, SO MANY
TEACHERS AND EDUCATORS TELLING
US THIS IS NOT ABOUT THE PAY.
WE’VE HAD SO MANY SITUATIONS IN
THE PAST.
THE PAST. LAST YEAR WEST VIRGINIA,
OKLAHOMA, ARIZONA, COLORADO,
WHERE IT WAS ABOUT THE PAY.
THIS IS ABOUT THE SOUL OF PUBLIC
SCHOOLING THROUGHOUT THE
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. AND HERE WITH US TO HELP TALK
ABOUT IT IS RANDY WINEGARDEN.
RANDY, THE SCHOOL BOARD SAYS
THERE IS -- THIS IS NOT -- THEY
CAN’T MEET DEMANDS.
THEY’LL BE INSOLVENT IF THE
DEMANDS ARE MET THAT THE UNION
IS PUTTING ON.
THE UNION IS SAYING THERE’S
MONEY IN THE BUDGET.
WHY NOT JUST MEET THE DEMANDS
ASKED FOR?
ASKED FOR? >> EVERY SCHOOL BOARD THAT
DOESN’T WANT TO DEAL WITH THE
REAL NEEDS OF CHILDREN FIND
EXCUSES LIKE WE DON’T HAVE THE
MONEY TO PAY.
BUT WHEN YOU HAVE A SCHOOL
SYSTEM THAT HAS A $7.5 BILLION
BUDGET, AND THERE’S 2 BILLION IN
RESERVES, AND THIS SCHOOL BOARD
SAID THE SAME EXACT THING WHEN
THEY HAD 100 MILLION IN RESERVES
AND NOW WHEN THEY HAVE 2 BILLION
IN RESERVES, THAT’S NOT RIGHT.
KIDS DO NOT GO TO SCHOOL MORE
THAN ONCE.
THAN ONCE. AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS
IS ABOUT THE SOUL OF PUBLIC
EDUCATION.
EDUCATION. IT IS ABOUT ENSURING THAT EVERY
SINGLE KID, NOT SOME KIDS, BUT
EVERY SINGLE KID AND IN L.A.,
80% OF OUR KIDS ARE POOR AND
KIDS OF COLOR, THAT EVERY SINGLE
KID HAS A PATHWAY TO SUCCESS AND
OPPORTUNITY.
OPPORTUNITY. >> AND HOW MUCH IS THAT FIGHT
FOR THE SOUL OF PUBLIC EDUCATION
HAS TO DO WITH CHARTER SCHOOLS?
HAS TO DO WITH POSSIBLE
PRIVATIZATION OF SCHOOLS?
IS THAT WHY YOU’RE HERE TODAY?
>> I AM HERE TODAY BECAUSE I
WANT THE TEACHERS TO KNOW AND
THE PUBLIC TO KNOW THAT
1.7 MILLION PEOPLE OF THE AFT
SUPPORT THEM.
SUPPORT THEM. I’M HERE TODAY TO FIGHT FOR
GUIDANCE COUNSELORS FOR ALL
KIDS.
KIDS. I’M HERE TODAY TO FIGHT FOR
NURSES FOR ALL KIDS.
I’M HERE TODAY AS A FORMER 11th
AND 12th GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES
TEACHER IN BROOKLYN TO SAY YOU
CAN’T HAVE A CLASS SIZE OF 40
AND 50.
AND 50. NO ONE WANTS TO GO ON STRIKE.
NOBODY DOES.
NOBODY DOES. AND ULTIMATELY, THE TEACHERS
WAITED 21 MONTHS.
THEY COULD HAVE STRUCK THE DAY
THE CONTRACT WAS OVER.
21 MONTHS TO GET THE SCHOOL
SYSTEM TO DEAL.
AND INSTEAD WHAT’S HAPPENED IS
THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, THE FORMER
SCHOOL SYSTEMS, FORMER BOARD
PRESIDENT SAID LET’S GO
COMMUNITY SCHOOLS.
COMMUNITY SCHOOLS. THIS GUY SHELVED THEM.
THAT WOULD HAVE HELPED BRING IN
GUIDANCE SERVICES AND MENTAL
HEALTH SERVICES.
HEALTH SERVICES. THAT’S WHAT WE NEED.
>> Reporter: I CAN FEEL YOUR
PASSION.
PASSION. WE’VE HEARD THAT FROM SO MANY
TEACHERS ON THE PICKET LINE.
SCHOOL IS ON.
WITH THE RESOURCES AND THE
TEACHERS PICKETING, THINGS ARE
GOING TO LOOK A LITTLE BIT
DIFFERENT INSIDE TODAY.
WE’RE FOLLOWING IT ALL DAY LONG.