Students and Teachers Protest Oakland, California, School Closures with Walkouts and Hunger Strikes

In the midst of the ongoing pandemic, the school board in Oakland, California, has announced they will shutter or merge a long list of schools. It’s another blow against a majority minority city battered under capitalism by gentrification, wealth inequality, and growing homelessness.

Lori Lightfoot Forces Educators to Teach in a Snowstorm

"My fellow staff members and I spent 40 minutes digging our cars out of the snow." A Chicago teacher writes about the unsafe conditions that schools are staying open in.

What’s Next for French Workers After Thursday’s National Mobilization?

Yesterday, a coalition of unions held a national strike day over wages and jobs. Despite the deep anger among French education workers that crystallized two weeks ago, and local conflicts over wages, participation was limited. As union leaders meet to consider next steps, what conclusions can be drawn so far?

“I Want to Thank the Staff That Held the Line”: Interview with a Chicago Teacher

Earlier this month, teachers in Chicago voted to resume remote learning rather than return to unsafe working conditions. In response, Chicago Mayor, Lori Lightfoot locked the teachers out of their classes and threatened to stop paying them. After a few days, the Chicago Teachers Union’s House of Delegates voted to suspend the teachers’ action and called them to in person classes. We spoke to a Chicago teacher about this struggle and what it means for educators across the country.

“No One Is Coming to Save Us”: Brooklyn Teachers Organize Sickout

Teachers at a Brooklyn middle school organized a sickout in response to the surge in Omicron cases. We interviewed one teacher who emphasizes the importance of education workers having the agency to determine whether their workplaces are safe.

#LoriLockout: Chicago Teachers Locked Out of Virtual Classrooms

In Chicago, public school teachers overwhelmingly voted in favor of remote instruction until adequate safety measures were in place for in-person instruction. In response, Mayor Lightfoot locked teachers out of their virtual classrooms and has threatened to withhold pay if teachers don’t report to work by Wednesday.

Columbia Seeks Scabs. NYC-Area University Educators Refuse

Columbia is trying to hire scabs to replace student workers for spring semester in an effort to break their 7-week-long strike. Student workers at NYU-GSOC have organized a pledge that no academic worker will cross the picket line by applying for or accepting these jobs. We reprint the pledge here and urge readers who work in higher education to sign on as individuals and ask their unions to do the same.

Unite Our Struggles: All Out for Columbia Student Workers

Student workers at Columbia University have been fighting to win a first contract for almost four years and are once again on strike. In order to win, they will need the support and solidarity of students and faculty across the city and across the country.

Repression in Sudan: 119 Arrested at Teachers Demonstration Against the Coup

On Sunday, 119 protesters were arrested by the military at a demonstration of thousands outside the Ministry of Education building in Khartoum. They were demanding the ouster of newly appointed education officials who are close to the former Sudanese dictator.