Teachers Occupy Wall Street

Teachers and the “Occupy Wall Street” Movement

The thought occurred to me the other day while I was watching the national news on network television that there might be teachers participating in the demonstrations. The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Teachers are among the 99% that the protestors are talking about. You never hear the words “millionaire” and “educator” in the same sentence. Teachers are one of the groups that have been targeted and vilified by the governors and legislators as taking too big a drink from the public trough. In states like Wisconsin, Ohio, and New Jersey, teachers and other public employees are losing their collective bargaining rights, their tenure rights, and their pension benefits. During this current recession, teachers have lost a great deal. Many have lost their jobs due to budget cuts. The “steady dime vs. a seldom dollar” axiom no longer applies to the teaching profession.

Whether the Wall Street movement takes wings remained to be seen but this has the essence of a growing demand for social change rather that political overthrow of the government, which makes this unlike the “Arab Spring” in the Middle East. It will be interesting to see how this movement reacts to changes in weather as winter begins across the country.( It snowed in New York City on Saturday, Oct.28th !)

Apparently the message of occupy Wall Street is resonating beyond Zuccotti Park. The New York City teachers union has agreed to store some of the Occupy Wall Street protesters' gear. The union began taking in excess storage items from protesters, stashing them at a vacant first floor storefront at its   Broadway building, a space that protesters have dubbed the "Occupy Wall Street Coat Check” . Several union officials have met with protestors and have offered their support.

The California Federation of Teachers and a coalition of allies want to place a measure on the November 2012 ballot to hike taxes to people with annual incomes of more than $1 million.
At this point it is difficult to determine if the unions are just jumping on the bandwagon to gain media exposure or if they are sincere in their efforts to be an integral part of the movement.
Teachers are agents of social change. That is evident in those educators who go the extra mile (or further) on behalf of their students. At the very least, trying to educate the population of America so that young people can have a productive and rewarding future is a daunting task but should be at the forefront of any effort for equity in the workplace.