Teachers from across Kentucky gather outside the state Capitol to rally for increased funding and to protest changes to their state funded pension system, Monday, April 2, 2018, in Frankfort, Ky.

Teacher Strikes Spread to More Red States

The Brian Lehrer Show | Apr 3, 2018

On Monday, teachers in Kentucky and Oklahoma walked out of school to protest cuts in pay, benefits and school funding. Josh Eidelson, labor reporter at Bloomberg News, and Lawrence Lane, a history teacher from Checotah, Oklahoma, and an OEA member, talk about the strikes, which have grown in force since starting in West Virginia earlier this year.

@okea member Lawrence Lane: "I am walking out until the legislature decides to do something about fully funding education in Oklahoma...we are walking out because of a lack of educational funding...we've lost classes, we've lost teachers... ."
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) April 3, 2018

Just as a reference point for our NY-area listeners -- teacher + @okea member Lawrence Lane says he earns $44K after 38 years of teaching + works multiple other jobs to make ends meet.
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) April 3, 2018

So much of this [teacher salary] rests with state legislatures and governors, esp. where there are no collective bargaining agreements, says @josheidelson.
— Brian Lehrer Show (@BrianLehrer) April 3, 2018

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