L.A. Teachers on What Was Won—And Which Battles Are Next

In These Times spoke to five teachers from five different LAUSD schools. While most of them contend that more could have been won, these rank-and-file members overwhelmingly consider the new terms an improvement and a testament to the power of strikes.

Whatever the outcome of the new terms, teachers agree much more work remains on the local, state and national levels—especially as educators in Denver and Oakland are preparing for potential strikes in response to public-school funding issues—and are returning to the classroom intent on keeping the struggle alive. Read more >

How Philanthropy Can Get Serious About Racial Healing

by Schott Vice President Edgar Villanueva

As members of an indigenous community, many Native Americans are demeaned by people in philanthropy who say we lack information and resources. Of course resources are a problem for us: After jumping through hurdles to even be considered for funding, we are scrutinized and often denied access anyway. The tactics of colonization continually violate and traumatize, even today.

To advance healing, foundations must have frank conversations about where their wealth came from, what it means that their donors got big tax breaks that deprived the federal government of important tax dollars, how their endowments are invested, and who gets to manage, allocate, and spend it.

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The Real Numbers: Governor Cuomo’s Educational Equity Hoax

Governor Cuomo’s policies have consistently stood in the way of providing even the basic level of educational adequacy to every student. In fact, in his budget briefing book, rather than providing a progressive vision of education, he explicitly embraces the tight-fisted policies of conservative Republican George Pataki.
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It’s National School Choice Week. What is That? (Possibly Not What You Think.)

This week is National School Choice Week. Despite its image of a grass-roots celebration of every imaginable alternative to neighborhood public schools, the week is a carefully crafted public relations campaign designed to remind lawmakers of the financial muscle of its sponsors.
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Safer Schools for Whom?

Police officers, retired police, and former members of the military working in schools — euphemistically termed "school resource officers" — don’t make black students feel safer. In fact, research shows that their presence in schools actually criminalizes students of color. But that’s just what the final report of President Donald Trump’s Federal Commission on School Safety, released in December, recommends.
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