The push for properly-funded schools

Teachers picketed outside John Marshall High School and various LAUSD schools on Oct. 19, 2022. Teachers who are members of United Teachers of Los Angeles were picketing that morning for one big reason the push for better school conditions and education. I got the chance to interview four teachers that teach at John Marshall High School. 

Teachers around L.A. began to picket on the sidewalks of their schools for better salaries, and the district to provide teachers, nurses, and ;ibrarians, as well as better money choices made by the district. 

John Marshall art teacher Emily Reichenstein said her reason for striking was the need for more “support to provide more teachers, librarians, and nurses for schools.”

Reichenstein said she fully believes that this push for support is towards a good cause and will raise awareness on issues schools have to deal with. She said she believes when “the collective” comes together, it has much power and influence on how the district listens to teachers. 

“A push for fully funding schools and for the district to stop making poor money choices,” English department teacher Mr. Roder said.

Roder said he believes the picketing is for a good cause and that the message they are creating is specifically directed toward the district. He also believes that the Union has power and is a way to influence how the district listens to them. The district is more likely to listen when the push is made by teachers, he said.

John Marshall English teacher James Ursini said for schools to have better conditions, the district needs to use its money and resources instead of using them for the wrong purposes. He said the district has a $4.2 billion surplus and yet not enough resources seem to be pulled towards schools.

“We believe that we are not only just fighting for our own families but fighting for the community of our school,” Ursini said. “The district only listens when our voices are used like today.” 

The teacher’s union at Marshall has pushed rather pinned many demands for better school conditions.

“Here at Marshall, we’re lucky we have a nurse, but she’s overworked,” UTLA chapter chair Scott Banks said. “In other schools, they have a [school nurse] one day and another, they don’t. I don’t even know how you could live like that.” 

Banks said the superintendent does a bad job of listening to them and ignores their plans. He said the ultimate goal is basically to ensure “a better education here in L.A.” He said he believes this push is for a good cause, not for Marshall, but for every school in the district to make schools better.

The teachers striking all agree that nurses, counselors, librarians and staff are essential for a school. 

“The library is the heart of the school where research and literacy happen. Not having that — can you call that a school?” Banks said.