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).
Mona Akhavi, CEO of Vrai, joins Cheddar Innovates to discuss the process of creating lab grown diamonds, why this industry is growing, and the latest trends in the jewelry and engagement ring space.
M&M's is rebranding its iconic chocolate candy characters with new looks and storylines highlighting the "progressive world" we live in today. Jane Hwang, global vice president of M&M's, joined Cheddar to talk about the company's rebrand. "M&M's is on a mission to create a world where everyone feels they belong," she said. The multi-colored, anthropomorphized candies will be getting an updated look and tone, according to Hwang, such as Green receiving a makeover that reflects more female empowerment and confidence.
The Department of Agriculture has officially unveiled its plan to fight catastrophic wildfires that have devastated parts of the West in the last few years. The department, along with the Forest Service will work to significantly increase fuels and forest health treatments to address the escalating crisis of wildfire danger. Executive Editor of Cipher, a publication by Breakthrough Energy, Amy Harder, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
A new report out on Linkedin says that Crypto-related job postings in the US surged to 395% between 2020 and 2021. Job titles which included titles containing "Bitcoin", "Ethereum", "Blockchain", and cryptocurrency, all outpaced jobs in the wider tech industry which saw a 98% increase in listings during the same time period. LinkedIn also notes that the most common crypto job postings were blockchain developers and engineers. CEO of Radkl, Ryan Sheftel, joined Cheddar to discuss more.
A new study has been causing a lot of buzz in the cannabis industry. Researchers from Oregon State University found that compounds in cannabis could prevent infection with COVID-19, but that doesn't mean smoking marijuana prevents people from getting infected. CV Sciences medical advisor Dr. Michael Lewis joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Software company BigPanda recently raised $190 million in Series D funding, led by Advent International and Insight Partners. The funding round gives the company unicorn status with a $1.2 billion valuation. BigPanda develops A.I. software that detects and analyzes problems in I.T. systems. The company says it aims to be the solution for other companies that do not have enough manpower to manage their data, as more and more industries continue to build a broader digital presence. BigPanda co-founder and CEO Assaf Resnick joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Amazon Prime announced the name of the highly anticipated Middle-Earth prequel streaming series to be called "The Rings of Power," premiering on September 2. The show takes place thousands of years before the stories set in "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings."
Sebastien Lagree, creator and founder of Lagree Fitness, joins Cheddar News to talk about the growth of Lagree Fitness and industry trends to watch in 2022.
We've all seen the headlines about a record number of Americans quitting their jobs in what's become known as the Great Resignation. However, new data on why people are leaving the workforce in droves suggests the bigger headline is Americans are simply burned out. Stephanie Aston, CEO of Black Girl Group, joined Cheddar News to break down why so many employees have reached their breaking points and what employers can do about it.
Nikhilesh De, managing editor of global regulation and policy at CoinDesk, joins Cheddar News to discuss Bitcoin's slump and corporations' growing interest in NFTs.
