School workers- including bus drivers, cafeteria workers, and janitors, went on a three- day strike starting Tuesday, Mar. 21 to Thursday, Mar. 23 in Los Angeles, California. The purpose of this strike was to demand better wages and increase respect towards staff. 

“The strike in the nation’s second largest school district has caused hundreds of campuses to close and the cancellation of classes for 422,000 students,.” says an article from New York Times.This strike not only impacted the administration and school workers, but the students and parents as well. 

As well, the West Hartford school districts are losing teachers and students rapidly. The demand for respect and better pay is having detrimental effects everywhere. “While educators have been underpaid, undervalued, and under-resourced for years, the COVID-19 pandemic and the relentless attacks on public education and teachers further exacerbated these existing problems, leading to teachers leaving the classroom in droves and fewer students entering the profession, causing snowballing teacher shortages. We must all work together to make substantial changes that will solve these problems,” says Kate Dias, CEA President. 

This district decided it was time to make a difference and demand through their actions what was necessary. On the Friday after the strike, they came to an agreement. From PBS NewsHour, “the deal also provides workers with a one-time $1,000 raise, sets the district’s minimum wage at $22.52 and creates a $3 million educational and professional development fund for union members, district Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said. Free health care will be provided for any employee working at least four hours a day, he said.” The actions of these school workers made the difference they needed, and wanted. 

Senior Michael Mack from Hall High School who has plans of becoming a teacher has shared his thoughts on this topic. He expresses some nerves about teaching and what the future in education will look like for him, “A little bit. I feel students could probably have a little more respect. As for pay, I think teachers should be getting paid a little more.” 

Unfortunately, Los Angeles schools are not the only ones facing this issue. Sara Rapp, a cafeteria worker in Hastings High School has also voiced her struggles with this issue. “It doesn’t feel like they care about us,” Rapp said of district leadership. “They don’t appreciate what they have in their staff.” Along with this school and the Los Angeles school district, there are many others facing this problem. Some may have hard times standing up for what they believe, but these two school districts’ actions are the start in the right direction.