Class Size Brings Strike by Teachers
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: September 11, 2009
KENT, Wash. (AP) — On what was scheduled to be the first day of school, students and teachers at Mill Creek Middle School here never made it through the front door. They stood or sat outside by the flagpole, waving signs and yelling at passing motorists.
The teachers have just ended a second week on strike, keeping more than 26,000 students at 40 schools out of the classroom.
The strike is not centered on wage and contract issues. Kent teachers are instead fighting for smaller class sizes, arguing that the district should spend some of the $21 million it has in reserve to alleviate overcrowding.
The district maintains that it needs to save the reserve money in this economy and that classes are not as crowded as teachers say. Some teachers complain that they do not have enough desks for students, with more than 30 children in some elementary and middle school classes.
Teachers said they were ready to stay out as long as it took to convince the school district that classroom overcrowding hurt academic achievement.
They have drawn the support of a handful of students who took to the picket lines during their extended summer vacation.
“I support them 100 percent in smaller class sizes for a better education,” said Stewart Kunzelman, a 13-year-old eighth grader.
Teacher strikes are illegal in Washington State, and a judge said each teacher would have to pay $200 a day in fines if not back in school by Monday.
It is the only teacher strike in the nation taking place this week, and experts said such strikes were becoming rarer.
But that is not necessarily the case in Washington; teachers in a city east of Seattle staged a two-week strike last fall.
Rich Wood, a spokesman for the largest teachers’ union in Washington, said strikes were not that common because most states did not allow them and some ban collective bargaining.
Mr. Wood said strikes in Washington State are about very local issues. Last year’s extended strike in Bellevue, Wash., focused on district control of curriculum. Strikes in Illinois, Michigan and Pennsylvania last fall concerned salaries and retirement.
AS WE DISCUSS THE AMERICAN DREAM, HOW DO THE CUTS IN EDUCATION, AS ILLUSTRATED IN THE ARTICLE, WEAKEN THE AMERICAN DREAM? DO THEY AT ALL? TELL ME WHAT YOU GUYS THINK!
Remember to Respond by Monday, September 21st @ 5pm! :)
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In my opinion, I agree with the Teachers and what they are doing to help their students. Education is a big part of the American Dream and having the Teachers teach 30 kids in one class is certainly taking the students American Dream away. The smaller the class, the better the education because it is easy to go around the room to help every student one by one than to have a whole class full with some students not even having desks to work in.
ReplyDeleteThe Teachers are right fighting for what is right. A classroom with 30 kids takes away from their education by the noise level in the classroom or a few children not having a desk to work on. This is weakening the American Dream by kids not getting a proper or good education. A good education is the foundation to achieving the American Dream. By having smaller classrooms makes a child education better by having a desk to work on and able to pay attention to the teacher.
ReplyDeleteI think the teachers are doing the right thing by trying to fight for what they want. But I don't agree on the way they are choosing to do it. There taking away alot of kids education by going on strike. So now there are going be alot of kids are going to be behind and going to lose alot of credits. So I think the teacher should still fight for it but just find a different way to do it.
ReplyDeleteThis is joseff singleton
ReplyDeleteI can't read it because I'm in your class as we speak on my iPhone but I'm here
The teachers are making a great stand. smaller classroom will help our students with academic success. if education is the key to the american dream then not only are oversized classrooms depriving students from learning so are the teachers and their strike
ReplyDeleteThe teacher's strike weakens the American Dream because it is taking away from the education of children. At the same time, the teachers have the right to stand up for what they believe in, but they shouldn't do it in a way that takes away from the actual education. protesting about overcrowding doesn't prove that it takes away from the children's actual learning experience.
ReplyDelete-Christian Dixon. period 5
A classroom with 30 kids takes away from their education by the noise level in the classroom or a few children not having a desk to work on. This is weakening the American Dream by kids not getting a proper or good education. A good education is the foundation to achieving the American Dream. By having smaller classrooms makes a child education better by having a desk to work on and able to pay attention to the teacher.
ReplyDeleteI think the teacher strike is a positive thing because when you have larger classrooms it takes away instructional time from other people because the teacher has to pay attention to every student and it is too much. Teachers are already under paid i don't think they need the extra work. I don't think the people should be fined for striking either
ReplyDeleteI think the teachers' strike is a negative thing because having a large class size does tend to take away from the childrens' learning time.By having this strike the teachers are limiting their time that should be valued to teaching the students.
ReplyDeleteThis weaken the A.D. because of how teachers are wasting time on strike when they should at least try their best for the other students. It's good that they are standing for what they believe in, but the way they are doing it is a waste of a students education. Smaller rooms does give me a better education- its easier to stay focus. But, if Im in the class and the teachers are nowhere to be found, I wouldn't know what to do, instead of not learn. This also helps the A.D. because the teachers are trying to help all students get their education.
ReplyDeleteI agree with these teachers. From experience, I know that a class with 30 kids is hard to learn in compared to a class with only 15-20. This does, in turn, weaken the American Dream because it is taking away the students ability to learn in the most efficient way and manner and them achieving their own American Dream. On the other hand, I do not think that the teachers should stop teaching to continue their strike because it negatively affects the students. Though they have a large class size, they should try to make the best of the situation and think about the fact that they are taking away from a child's education for something that could be dealt with at a different time, or before school even started.
ReplyDeleteI feel as if the teachers have a right to protest , but on the other hand its unfair to the students . The teachers do have alot against them with the budget cuts and oversized classrooms , but their job over all is to teach/educate . They chose to be educators so they are obligated to do their job and educate . It's most definately not the students faults for the over-populated rooms or the pay-cuts , so they should not be punished for attempting to get educated .
ReplyDeleterena c.-
ReplyDeleteWith such a great ammount of students in the classroom it would be hard for the teachers to teach properly.i commend them for taking a stand
"Teachers said they were ready to stay out as long as it took to convince the school district that classroom overcrowding hurt academic achievement." I believe that, although these teachers may have a just cause to be on strike, this strike is doing more bad than good. The teachers are on strike because they believe that academic overcrowding is hurting academic achievement when keeping the children from getting any education at all is hurting it even more. A lot of teachers today arent teaching for the love of helping a student. Teachers who would intentionally keep a child from getting his or her education are WRONG, it doens't matter what the reason is. In my opinion the decision to go on strike made by the teachers is weakening the american dream for the 26,000 students that they are preventing from getting an education. The young kids who support the strike, are doing so purely for the joy of having an extended summer.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that cuts in education funds do weaken the American Dream. Without education, you cant get anywhere in this country. Education is the base and foundation for everything you wish to achieve. The teachers are right for protesting for smaller class sizes. They are easier to manage and also allow students to get a better quality of education. :)
ReplyDeleteI think the teachers have every right to protest. I know that being in an over-crowded classroom it is much harder to get the education necessary for the A.D. because teachers can't help individual students that may have questions or problems understanding what is being taught in the class. Teachers cant always have the focus they need to teach material also, because it would be hard for them to keep track of all 30 students, teach, be sure that all students are focused and have no issues with what is being taught. I agree with the teachers, and i dont think the strike is damaging the childrens American Dream, i think its those that arent allowing smaller classroom sizes
ReplyDelete-Kali Goodman
i believe that the cuts in education is weakening the american dream because the cuts aint hurting no one but the future and the next generation and we are depending on our next generation to help get us out this economic crisis so when we deny the right of education we are hurting the future american dream and how we view it
ReplyDeletei think that the teachers strike is wrong because it is takin away from the chilrdren learning. In order to acheive the American Dream we need education and by keeping them out of school your taking away from the American Dream
ReplyDeleteTo me, the buget cuts only 'weaken' the American Dream to some people. Different people have different ideals about the American Dream. If an education is essential in someone's American Dream, then it weakens their dream.
ReplyDelete- Janina Turner, Period 5
I believe the budget cuts are essentially weakening the American Dream. President Barack Obama says he wants every sudent to be able to get an education so that they can be experienced to as many oppurtunities as needed. I also believe in a since that the teachers were correct. The school districts spend to much money on neccesities when they should be sending there money to provide for the classrooms. Teachers should not have to teach in cramped rooms with more than 30 kids for minimum wage.
ReplyDeleteThe only question tha I have for this article is Does the size of the students affect the way they learn or is it just the size of the classroom?... In college there are more then 30 students to a class and they all learn. In high school up 2 30 kids sit in a class and there is a slight chance tha all will uptain the same information. So is it the class or the classroom that affects the learning process?
------>Eryca Wafer
This will definitely weaken the America dream if no one does anything about this. So what the teachers are doing is good because they shouldn't just let the kids have no education because of a small issue. They need to fight for what is right.
ReplyDeleteoh and KittyKatt16 is me Ashley Hyde first period
ReplyDeleteThis does affect the american dream because a classroom full of students is less affective than a classroom with fewer students. Some students will not be recognized because of the many distractions going on in the over crowded classrooms. Teachers will be worrying about getting the classroom in order than helping students that need it. There's lots of distractions where there's more people and a better environment to learn and get help when ther's fewer students.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe teachers are fighting for what they think is "right",for their students. Some teachers think that classroom reduction is best, but if students are not receiving the necessary tools and equipment to proceed in life because of the size of the classrooms, when and where would the learning take place? So is it right for them to cut out education for students that really wants to learn?
ReplyDelete-CamiaH.
i think the teachers are correct in there stand for a better class because if over croweded classes are causeing a decreese in learning then that is a problem.number 1 its limiting all the students chances of gaining the american dream, and to me thats unfair. if they do not minimize the classes then students will loose out on learning which then creates less educated men and women and that my friends leed to destructions
ReplyDeleteI fell as if the striking of the teachers are holding back the American Dream of the kids. The striking is wasting the time of learning the kids could be doing at those moments. With the American Dream comes knowledge. One must be smart to get a hold of the American dream and keep it, but with the teachers refusing to teach them there is no way the students are able to learn. If the teachers really cared about the students, rather than their own care, being that they have to stay in the class with a bunch of kids, then they would have decided to just teach and wait for everything to work out instead of sob and strike it. That could also teach the kids patience. The kids know what the situation is, being that the 13 year old student in the article saying the agreement with the teachers, they could observe their teachers cooperating with the rules, and comply to what they are doing, that is also apart of gaining the American Dream, patience and cooperation.
ReplyDeletethis is Harper Miles 1st. period
ReplyDeleteHi its kendric i would have to agree with darius. The approach to the situation is all wrongg!! Maybe if they tried an different approach it would be better but the methos their doing now is clearly not not an accurate way in acchieve their goal!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with Darius and Kendric,because now there are alot of kids that are going to be behind and going to lose alot of credits and won't be able to graduate high school and goes to college. So I think the teacher should still fight for it but just find a different way to do it.
ReplyDeleteHi, this is Taylor.
ReplyDeleteI personally feel that the teachers that are going on strike is not helping the American Dream because they are basically taking away from the students education time. If the teachers "mission" is to help the student, why go on strike? And also a bigger class size does not stop the student from getting a better education, they have to be able to obtain the proper information so that they can get to where they need to be. But it is better to have a class with students that want to learn rather not having class that does not want an education. So its not really right for the teachers to go on strike and take time a away from the students that want to learn and make something of themselves, No matter if there is budget .
I agree with what the teachers are doing to better the education of the children. But i think they couldd have done it another way because they ae taking time out of the childrens education. And if the children arent getting the right education its going to be hard to achieve the american dream.
ReplyDeleteWhat these teachers are doing is completly unnecessary. Their taking learning time away from the innocent students who need to learn in order to survive in this country, and to achieve the American Dream. They have a valid point that they students would not be able to learn or get the right education in that type of classroom evironment. However, they definatly cant learn in a classroom without a teacher.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the teachers. What they are trying to do will help so many stundents gain more focus in class and get more work done. I know how hard it is to teach with so many students in one class. This causes stress for both the teachers and students.
ReplyDeleteJonathan Simpson
thee teachers are obviously out of control they neeed to get it together! in other words they need to find another technique to get what that want! They need to be adults and talk aboutt the issues to people that they know can solve the issue and not sit up there and be on strick and all those extras!!! if anything they aren't helping the kids all because of their approach but once again, i just feel that the teachers need to seriously chill chill, alll extrude outt is not working!
ReplyDeletei think the teachers should just earn they paycheck and teach how ever many students they have......this is retarded and pointless
ReplyDeleteWell in that case i think classes should be smaller because at my school there classes are really big.But i will go ahead and leave the strike. You know what im saying.
ReplyDeleteThese teachers need to get of our backs and teach.So what ! about the overcrowdness....lol.
Education is the KEY! Thats Just CHi CHi Eeee...Which is me Ebony Say So.........Im Funny! hahaha
I agree with the teachers. Overcrowded classroomss with multiple children isnt the best way to teach. Smaller class sizes is a better way
ReplyDeletefor students to learn because it wouldnt be such a hassle to teach all the students.The less the better.
I agree on with the author of this article, by fighting for what is needed. When you have a school that includes over 40 kids in one classroom, that makes it harder for the teachers to teach because children are being disruptive and some don't even want to learn. I think that the classes should be smaller, so that the teachers could feel good about their job as a " Teacher " , and teach those who want to be taught and come to school to actually " Learn " and not act a fool. !
ReplyDeletewell it dose stop as as scholars in school, because we need education to get to the american dream. Without education we cant get an job nd then we cant money.so i do agree with the article nd WE NEED MONY ND MORE JOBS!lolz
ReplyDeletewe also need help from the teachers nd if the class room iz to full then we cant get the extra help nd indavidual help to get the grade we deserve nd need to get to the american dream.
ReplyDeletewe need education. point blank. withough the education we wont be successful. you dont have to be neccasarily RICH to be successful. success comes deep with in. so no matter how tha american dream has been recalibrated, we as a whole need to stand up for the educational rights. it is hard to get accepted into a great school withough having to pay 50,000 dollars a year for just a few books. we need to try to help with anything we posibly can. recycling, stop waisting foods...and this all leads to the economy..the economy has had a great impact ont our lives...affecting the cost of schools, which is pausing us from getting to OUR OWN DREAM...creatind the american dream...to becoming successful.
ReplyDeleteThe teachers have the right to protest. Having class rooms with large numbers like 30 students restricts the teacher from helping every student with his/her specific problem. This article shows how much these teachers care about their students and only want to help them be the best they can be.
ReplyDeletei think the teachers can do them it is there right. when its a lot of kids in one class people can get angry
ReplyDeleteOvercrowded student are not the best thing in a classroom. Having over 30 students leads to stress on the students, but mainly the teachers. The noise, grading papers makes it more difficult. It does not make sense for the classroom to be over crowded that makes it harded on everyone.
ReplyDeletei strongly believe that when theres alot of kids in a class room its harder to learn because of distraction and lack of attention from the teacher so i believe that the teachers are correct for protesting. Although this was not the correct way to protest you gotta do wutever u need to do to get ur point across. They prolly went to such extremes because of fears of not being taken seriously if they chose another tactic.
ReplyDeleteJoshua Zanders
per.4
the way i feel about the teacher strike situation is that larger classes are not good for students because the teacher can not give her full attention to her students in class.
ReplyDeleteit weakens the american dream alot because you cant pursue the american dream without a education and kids need there education kids need smaller classes thats why i like vpp its more one on one time wiht the teachers and all larger classes make it harder to learn with only one teacher
ReplyDeleteI think it does weaken the American Dream , because in order to achieve the American Dream you have to start with your eduation in order to capture your American Dream.
ReplyDeletePart of the american dream is a good education so that we can be successful in the future. By overcrowding classrooms you are weakening the american dream, because some kids won't get any one on one time they need to understand. It's more beneficial to have a small class, so the teacher can go around and help everyone so they understand the material. In larger classrooms if a student doesn't understand and can't get the teacher's help, they might give up. And since our generation is the future we need all the education we can get.
ReplyDeletethe teachers are 100% right for what they are doing. Schools are over crowding and the government is spending money with out thinking about the children and their future. teachers have no other choice but to go on strike if they want change because the government is paying them no attention. if i was a teacher with a class full of people sitting on the floor because there are no left over desk or space then there's a problem and the teachers cant do anything about it so a strike was what they came up with.
ReplyDeletein my opinion the teachers are rite ,education is the key to sucess ,having a very large amount of students in one classroom makes the learning eviorment a very difficult place to concentrate thus preventing students for reaching their goals ,and having that "American dream" . i believe that if the classroom setting was smaller they the students would learn better .
ReplyDelete