Arizona Teachers Walkout: Rallies Continuing Through Wednesday

PHOENIX, AZ – The walkout of teachers across Arizona will last at least through Wednesday. Leaders of Arizona Educators United – the driving force behind the rallies for more education funding and higher pay made the announcement late Monday afternoon.

The announcement came at the end of a third day of thousands of teachers from across the state gathering at the capitol to continue their statewide walkout for more education funding and better pay. The walkout started last Thursday. There has been no word on whether the rally will last beyond Wednesday.

"What we need you to do is to get out to your communities and let them know why we are still out and what is going on," one of the leaders of Arizona Educators United, Kelly Wendland Fisher told teachers. "We need you to be at the capitol at 11 a.m., to be our eyes and ears.

The Arizona Legislature is expected to be in session and may consider a budget proposal that Gov. Ducey says would include more money for teachers. Leaders of the teachers movement are demanding to see the proposal. (Get Phoenix Patch's daily newsletter and real-time news alerts. Or, find your local Patch here and subscribe).

They have been skeptical about the plan, questioning whether it is sustainable. At the same time, Fisher says that they are hopeful the legislature can get the job done and pass a budget that "meets the needs of students."

The teachers are listening to speakers – including leaders of their organization as well as American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten – as well as meeting with legislators in the afternoon.

For months, teachers around the state have been building a movement. Inspired by the success of their striking colleagues in West Virginia, it started with a hashtag – #RedforEd – and teachers wearing red on Wednesdays to bring attention not only to their plight but that of the state of education in Arizona.

The wearing of red led to rallies. Along with that came the creation of Arizona Educators United, a group that quickly grew to have tens of thousands of members. AEU worked with its members to come up with a list of goals, things that the believe are necessary for Arizona to improve the quality of education being offered to public school students.

At the top of the list is a 20 percent pay hike.

Even with that, Arizona teachers would still make below the nationwide average. They were at first met with scorn by Gov. Ducey. He had offered a 1 percent raise and wouldn't budge. He pointedly even refused to meet with teachers.

It was only after they voted to walk out, that he came up with a proposal to raise pay 19 percent over three years. Teachers and others are skeptical, charging that the offer is smoke and mirrors without a funding mechanism to make the raises sustainable.

WHY TEACHERS ARE WALKING OUT

Teachers are demanding a 20 percent pay increase and eduction funding to be restored to 2008 levels.

Arizona teachers are among the lowest paid in the country and even if they received a 20 percent hike, they would still make less than the nationwide average.

Many Arizona teachers work two or more jobs in addition to teaching so that they can pay the bills.

They are also upset with Ducey for not offering to increase education funding overall.
Patch recently reported on teachers using decades old textbooks, having broken equipment, and teaching in rooms with holes in the ceiling and torn carpet.

Teachers also want education funding returned to the level it was ten years ago. The state legislature determined last year that, when adjusted for inflation, the state spends more than $900 per student less than it did in 2008.

Along with that, the teachers want a guarantee that the state will not cut taxes until per student spending reaches the national average. Currently, the state spends nearly $4,000 less per student than the national average of $11,392.

Like us on Facebook. Also, download the free Patch iPhone app or free Patch Android app.

Photo via Arizona Educators United.