A recent wave of strikes, rallies, and wildcat actions led by teachers across the country have drawn attention to the most urgent issues faced by students and educators – school closures, budget cuts, understaffing, and the re-appropriation of public school funding for charter schools. This panel seeks to tell the stories of local teachers and parent activists, many of whom have been underreported or ignored by the mainstream media.
Our panelists include a journalist who has given educators a national voice in this struggle, along with the teachers, organizers, and parents leading the way for radical change within their classrooms, union halls, and communities. These everyday labor leaders will discuss their distinct visions for building working class power, including fighting for dignity and respect through fair contracts, taking militant demands to the streets, and forging solidarity among educators and support staff. We look forward to you leaving this panel with renewed hope in workers’ power to create radical change in education.

Panelists: Greg McGarry, Allyson Bravmann, Lizzy Dutton, Quinn Ranahan, Eric Blanc