>> IF ANYONE CLAIMS THEY CARE ABOUT INCOME INEQUALITY,
ECONOMIC MOBILITY, IT STARTS
WITH EDUCATION.
WITH EDUCATION. IF WE DO NOT GET KIDS A GREAT
EDUCATION, HOW CAN WE EXPECT
THEM TO SUCCEED?
I WANT TO SHARE SOME VIDEOS.
AS THESE TEACHERS ARE PREPARING
FOR THE STRIKE, QUITE A FEW TOOK
TO SOCIAL MEDIA AND THEY
EXPLAINED THEIR REASONS FOR
STRIKING.
STRIKING. WATCH THIS.
WATCH THIS. MEGAN ATKINS.
MEGAN ATKINS. A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER.
HAS TAUGHT IN L.A. FOR 20 YEARS.
OVER THE WEEKEND, SHE POSTED
THIS VIDEO COVERING ALL THE
SUPPLIES -- THEY’RE COVERED UP
WITH WHITE CLOTHE.
THESE ARE ALL OF THE SUPPLIES
THAT SHE HAD TO PURCHASE WITH
HER OWN MONEY OUT OF HER POCKET.
LOOK AT IT.
PRETTY MUCH MOST OF THE THINGS
IN THE CLASSROOM.
SHE TELLS VIEWERS THE STRIKE IS
NOT SOMETHING SHE WANTS TO DO
BUT IT’S SOMETHING SHE HAS TO
DO.
DO. JOINING MEG INGING ME, LILY EKLE
THE PRESIDENT OF THE NATION’S
LARGEST UNION THAT REPRESENTS 3
MILLION EDUCATORS ACROSS THE
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. WALK US THROUGH THIS.
YOU ARE GOING TO BE THERE
ALONGSIDE THESE TEACHERS TODAY.
HOW DO TEACHERS EVEN GET TO THAT
POINT?
POINT? I LOOK AT THAT VIDEO.
THE MAJORITY OF THINGS INSIDE
THE CLASSROOM.
THE CLASSROOM. THAT TEACHER HAD TO PAY FOR
HERSELF TO DO HER BASIC JOB.
WHEN I SHOW UP TO WORK IN THE
MORNING, I DON’T HAVE TO DELIVER
THE CAMERAS, THE PENS AND THE
PAPERS.
PAPERS. IT’S WHAT THEY PROVIDE FOR ME.
I HAVE THE BENEFIT OF -- WELL,
I’LL LEAVE IT THERE.
WALK US THROUGH THIS.
>> YOU KNOW, WE PROBABLY HAVE
THE ONLY PROFESSION WHERE YOU
STEAL FROM HOME AND BRING IT TO
WORK.
WORK. IT’S HOW WE MOVE.
I’M A SIXTH GRADE TEACHER FROM
UTAH.
UTAH. I HAD 39 KIDS IN MY CLASSROOM.
HERE IN LOS ANGELES, IT’S NOT
UNUSUAL TO FIND SOMEONE WITH 40
OR 45 KIDS.
>> IN ONE CLASSROOM?
>> IN THEIR CLASSROOM.
>> IN ONE CLASSROOM?
>> IN ONE CLASSROOM.
WITH ONE TEACHER.
SO WHEN SOMEONE SAYS -- LIKE
THIS ADMINISTRATION YB, YOU
KNOW, LET’S JUST TALK ABOUT YOUR
SALARY THIS IS SO MUCH BIGGER
THAN BEING PAID A FAIR SALARY.
CERTAINLY THAT’S SOMETHING THESE
TEACHERS AND SUPPORT STAFF
DESERVE.
DESERVE. THEY’RE PUTTING THIS ALL ON THE
LINE BECAUSE THEY LOVE SOMEONE
ELSE’S KID.
ELSE’S KID. BECAUSE THEY WANT THOSE SCHOOL
NURSES.
NURSES. THEY CARE ABOUT CLASS SIZE.
THEY WANT A LIBRARIAN.
THAT’S LIKE FINDING A UNICORN IN
THIS DISTRICT.
THIS DISTRICT. THEY’RE PUTTING IT ALL OUT
THERE, SAYING WE WANT TO BE IN
SCHOOL.
SCHOOL. WE WANT TO BE
LOVE.
LOVE. BUT WE HAVE SAID ENOUGH IS
ENOUGH.
ENOUGH. THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS IGNORED
THE VOICES OF THE PEOPLE WHO
KNOW THE NAMES OF THEIR KIDS.
AND WHO ARE THEY LISTENING TO,
THEY’RE LISTENING TO THE BETSY
DEVOS TYPES.
DEVOS TYPES. THE BILLIONAIRES WHO SAY I DON’T
KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT PUBLIC
SCHOOLS.
SCHOOLS. WHY DON’T WE JUST TURN IT INTO A
FOR PROFIT BUSINESS.
THE CHARTER INDUSTRY HAS BEEN
GROWING IN THIS DISTRICT.
AND EVERYWHERE THAT THE CHARTER
INDUSTRY HAS GROWN, IT’S GROWN
AT THE EXPENSE OF YOUR
NEIGHBORHOOD PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
THAT’S WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.
WHEN SOMEONE SAYS THERE’S NO
MONEY, WHY ISN’T THERE MONEY?
A BIG REASON IS BECAUSE THEY’VE
GIVEN IT AWAY TO FOR PROFIT
COMPANIES.
COMPANIES. >> HOW DID MANY CHARTER SCHOOLS
START, BECAUSE OF THE TERRIBLE
SITUATION IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
IF I LIVED IN A DISTRICT WHERE
THERE WAS 45 KIDS IN THE
CLASSROOM AND TO YOUR POINT
FINDING A LIBRARIAN IS LIKE
FINDING AGOFIND
FINDING AGOFIND ING A UNICORN, I’D BE DESPERATE
FOR ANOTHER OPTION.
>> SO THINK ABOUT THIS, IF
YOU’RE IN THE CHARTER INDUSTRY,
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO?
YOU WANT TO CREATE HORRIBLE
PUBLIC SCHOOLS, JOYLESS PLACES
THAT --
THAT -- >> HOLD ON A SECOND, YOU MEAN TO
SAY THAT ALL CHARTER SCHOOL.
>> ALL DENYING --
>> HOLD ON, PLEASE, THAT CHARTER
SCHOOL FOUNDERS ARE THERE TO
DRAIN PUBLIC SCHOOLS?
COME ON NOW.
>> THIS IS -- SO LET’S BE VERY,
VERY CLEAR.
VERY CLEAR. THE BILLIONAIRES WHO ARE BEHIND
THIS, THE VENTURE CAPITALISTS,
THE WALL STREET GUYS, ARE OUT TO
MAKE MONEY ON PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
>> SO -- I’M SORRY --
>> -- THERE’S A VAST -- THERE’S
A VAST DIFFERENCE IN QUALITY
WITH CHARTER SCHOOLS AND SOME OF
THEM ARE FABULOUS WONDERFUL
PLACES AND SOME OF THEM ARE
SCAMS.
SCAMS. THE ISSUE IS WHEN DID WE STOP
TALKING ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT
EVERY PUBLIC SCHOOL IS AS GOOD
AS OUR BEST PUBLIC SCHOOL?
WHEN DID WE STOP TALKING ABOUT
MAKING SURE THAT EVERY KID HAD
WHAT THEY NEEDED IN THEIR
NEIGHBORHOOD PUBLIC SCHOOL?
IT’S ONE THING TO TALK ABOUT A
CHOICE.
CHOICE. BUT WHAT IF THE ONLY CHOICE THAT
THESE KIDS ARE NEVER GIVEN IS
THE CHOICE THEY HAVE TO GET IN A
PUBLIC SCHOOL IN THEIR
NEIGHBORHOOD AND THAT IS BY
INTENTION.
INTENTION. IT’S EXACTLY WHAT DEVOS DID IN
MICHIGAN.
MICHIGAN. THEY DID IT IN THE POOREST
NEIGHBORHOODS.
NEIGHBORHOODS. THEY EXPERIMENTED WITH OUR MOST
VULNERABLE CHILDREN.
VULNERABLE CHILDREN. >> IN A PERFECT WORLD, EVERY KID
WOULD GET A GREAT EDUCATION.
RIGHT NOW, I CAN SAY THERE ARE
SOME GREAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
THERE ARE SOME GREAT CHARTER
SCHOOLS.
SCHOOLS. WHAT YOU ARE TRYING TO DO RIGHT
NOW IS HELP ALL OF THOSE KIDS IN
LOS ANGELES.
LOS ANGELES. 500,000 WHO COULD POTENTIALLY
NOT HAVE TEACHERS TO EDUCATE
THEM IN THEIR CLASSROOMS TODAY.
IS THERE AN ARGUMENT TO BE MADE
THAT WE NEED TO TAKE A CLOSER
LOOK AT WHAT BENEFITS ARE?
MANY TEACHERS ARE SAID HOLD ON.
IN L.A., THERE’S A $2 BILLION
RESERVE.
RESERVE. WHY ISN’T THAT GOING TO US AND
OUR SCHOOLS?
OUR SCHOOLS? WHAT IS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT
TELLING YOU?
TELLING YOU? WHEN I SEE $2 TRILLION IN
RESERVE, I SAY HOLD ON, YOU CAN
FIND SMALLER CLASS SIZES.
YOU CAN FIND LIEBRARIANS WITH
MONEY LIKE THIS.
>> THEY COULD BE DOING SO MUCH
MONEY.
MONEY. IT’S WHY I WANT TO COME BACK TO
THAT.
THAT. ARE THEY INTENTIONALLY STARVING
PUBLIC SCHOOLS BECAUSE THEY
DON’T WANT THEM TO BE PLACES
THAT PEOPLE FEEL GOOD ABOUT.
HERE’S WHAT IS ACTUALLY GOING ON
HERE WITH THESE VERY COURAGEOUS
BRAVE EDUCATORS WHO ARE GOING TO
BE OUT ON PICKET LINES TODAY.
WHEN YOU’VE GIVEN UP WORKING
WITH THE NEGOTIATIONS BECAUSE
YOU FEEL THAT THE ADMINISTRATION
ON THE OTHER SIDE IS NOT ENGAGED
IN GOOD FAITH BARGAINING, YOU
TAKE IT TO THE STREETS.
TAKE IT TO THE PUBLIC.
WHEN WE SAW THAT STARTING IN
WEST VIRGINIA, OKLAHOMA, ARIZONA
LAST YEAR, THEY TOOK IT TO THE
STREETS.
STREETS. AND THE PUBLIC THEN STARTED TO
PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT HAD BEEN
HAPPENING FOR YEARS IN PUBLIC
SCHOOL.
SCHOOL. IT WAS QUIET.
AND THEN THEY MADE SOME NOISE
AND THEY GOT SOMETHING BETTER
FOR THOSE KIDS.
THAT’S WHAT WE HAVE TO HOPE IS
GOING TO HAPPEN HERE.