L.A. Teachers Strike Is About More Than a Fair Contract, Teacher Says
*By Carlo Versano*
With Los Angeles public schools ending a third day without their striking teachers, a deal between the union and the district remains elusive, according to Joseph Zeccola, a 2018-19 L.A. County Teacher of the Year and one of more than 30,000 educators currently protesting in the country's second-largest school district.
"We're at a standstill," Zeccola told Cheddar from the picket line on Wednesday. "The offers right now have not been good."
Los Angeles public school teachers are demanding, in addition to salary increases, that the district provide more support staff and smaller class sizes. Classes in L.A. County routinely have headcounts numbering 40.
The L.A. Times [reported](https://www.latimes.com/local/education/la-me-edu-lausd-teachers-strike-endgame-20190116-story.html) early Wednesday that both sides are close on a salary deal, and the district has proposed hiring more nurses, librarians, and social workers for a year ー all the district said it can afford. The union had rejected that offer as insufficient.
For Zeccola, the strike is about more than a fair contract. He said L.A. teachers were inspired by other teacher strikes in states like Kentucky, Oklahoma, and West Virginia, and that in the end ー whether it's a deep blue state like California or a deep red state like Kentucky ー it's about "setting the tempo" for public education in the U.S. by allocating more resources to improve the quality of education for students.
"Our kids deserve the best we can afford to give them."
Public schools are currently being staffed by substitute teachers and some administrative staff, though in many cases that has meant one or two adults for every couple hundred students.
More than 90 percent of district teachers are out on picket lines across the county, according to Zeccola, despite rainy and severe weather across in the region. And 98 percent of unionized teachers voted to authorize the strike. The job action has drawn support from politicians like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.), as well as celebrities like Jamie Lee Curtis. And the vast majority of Los Angelenos say they support the teachers ー nearly 80 percent, according to the [most recent polling](https://lmu.app.box.com/s/i6jtszzmyocea8uiudibb7pxutrlngtb/file/384025745117).
ThoughBut as the strike drags on and parents contend with mounting childcare issues, it is unclear if the levels of support will drop. Less than 30 percent of Zeccola's students went to school this week, in his estimation, while the rest stayed home in solidarity.
The district and union have not met face-to-face yet this week.
Zeccola said the teachers' demands are reasonable.
"No teacher is going to get rich," Zeccola said. "We're not looking for that."
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/la-teachers-hope-for-a-deal-after-3-days-of-protest).
Catching you up on the entertainment headlines of the day with "Top Gun: Maverick" making $19.3M in previews, BTS heading to the White House, and "Ozark” reclaiming the throne as number one in the Nielsen streaming ratings.
Music group North Star Boys joins Cheddar News to discuss their debut single, shutting down Times Square, and representing the Asian community through music.
On this episode of ChedHER: Author of 'The Glass Ledge: How to Break Through Self-Sabotage, Embrace Your Power, and Create Your Success' discusses what exactly the 'glass ledge' is and how to overcome negative self-perception; Co-Owner of Wanderlust Creamery explains the story behind launching her very own ice cream business, and how she's overcome hurdles as a business owner; Chief Marketing Officer at Great Learning and Capacity Planning Analyst at Salesforce discuss how upskilling can help you advance in your career.
Adrienne Borlongan, Co-Owner of Wanderlust Creamery, joins ChedHER to discuss the story behind launching her very own ice cream business, and how she's overcome hurdles as a business owner.
Iman Oubou, Author of 'The Glass Ledge: How to Break Through Self-Sabotage, Embrace Your Power, and Create Your Success,' joins ChedHER to discuss what exactly the 'glass ledge' is and how to overcome negative self-perception.
Aparna Mahesh, Chief Marketing Officer at Great Learning, and Brandy Murray, Capacity Planning Analyst at Salesforce and Great Learning learner, join ChedHER to discuss how upskilling can help you advance in your career.
Umbilical cord blood banking platform Anja Health raised $4.5 million dollars in a seed round led by Seven Seven Six, a venture capital firm founded by Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. Anja Health offers a personalized, doctor-backed cord blood bank, which lets new parents freeze stem cells from their child's umbilical cord so they can be used to treat diseases in the future. It's a process Anja has called 'Hollywood's best-kept secret,' as celebrities like Kylie Jenner, Serena Williams, and more have all banked their umbilical cord blood. Kathryn Cross, the founder of Anja Health, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Actor Jimmy O. Yang is partnering with Chinese food chain Panda Express for his YouTube series "Jimmy's Kitchen." The comedian joined Cheddar News to talk about the partnership as well as upcoming ventures. "Panda Express could not be more perfect like even before this deal, I was just wearing a Panda Express hat for fun when I go outside," he said.
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay is displaying his world-renowned collection of historic memorabilia to the public for the first time in the Big Apple. Irsay joined Cheddar News to talk about why he's bringing artifacts from the Beatles to Jerry Garcia to light now. "I borrow all this stuff, you know, and I just feel kind of an obligation to share it with the public and make it come alive if you will," he said.
